The Juice Man Cometh
by Jaxolelady
Summary: Spin-off from Tada gan iarracht. Take place 13 months after the club goes to jail.     Marlene came to Charming to help her best friend Tara. She got more than she bargained for.
1. A California Girl

Marlene pulled into the parking lot of the Teller-Morrow garage. She took in the scenery around her, the black Harleys motorcycles all lined in a row. The slightly run down looking buildings. The fenced in play area that contained an extensive and expensive looking swing set. The "SONS OF ANARCHY" signs that hung just about everywhere. Men were milling around, they all seemed to big, greasy, and scary looking. Tattoos were obviously not a taboo with these people, Marlene thought as she watched one particularly big, hairy looking mechanic walk toward the moving truck she was driving.

He walked over next to her driver's side window. She rolled the window down.

"What can I do ya for today?" he asked. She noticed that his voice was deep and booming, but he spoke in a low almost soft tone. She also glimpsed kindness in his hazel eyes.

She smiled at him and offered him her hand. "Name's Marlene. I'm a friend of Tara's, she gave me directions here, told me to ask for her when I got in."

He smiled and displayed a row of gleaming white teeth behind his long full beard. He took her hand and pumped it once. His hand was large, rough and warm. His hand shake was gentle.

"Name's Opie. Tara told us to watch out for you." he said and opened her door, " Come on in the clubhouse and cop a squat. I'll have someone pull the truck 'round back."

Marlene climbed out of the truck and stepped away from it. She heard Opie slam the car door behind her. She took a step forward and realized her muscles were stiff from disuse. She closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest and slowly rotated her neck, then she reached above her head and stretched out her back muscles, she slowly arching her back. She put her hands on her hips and pushed them forward, taking in a slow breath as she felt her hip bones align themselves.

She opened her eyes and found a herself face to chest with a Teller-Morrow light gray work shirt. She took a quick step back, not used to having her space invaded, and bumped into the side of the truck. The gray shirt moved forward when she moved backward so she found herself closer to him than she had been before. He moved forward another step and she caught the scent of lemons, oil and leather. If he got any closer to her, she was sure her ass would make an indention in the side of truck.

She put her hands up, resting them on his chest. She pushed lightly, silently telling him to keep his distance, but he stood his ground, not giving an inch. She gave up and looked up, straight into the darkest blue eyes she had ever seen. Her breath caught, and for a moment her heart stopped. A lump rose to her throat and she felt warmth slide down her spine and into her pelvis.

She wanted this man. Her hand moved to cover his heart, and she felt the rapid tempo there and knew that he wanted her too. She smiled up at him, he pressed closer to her.

"ALRIGHT JUICE!" Opie said loudly, breaking Marlene out of her trance. She peeked over his shoulder at Opie. He was standing back from them, along with about five other mechanics, with an amused expression on his face.

"Ugh...umm.. Juice?" she said while she stroked her hand down his chest and across the buckle of his pants.

He seem to come out of the fog a bit when she said his name. His eyes clouded back over when her hand came into contact with his belt buckle. She smiled at him and he blinked. She pushed his chest and he finally stepped back a half a step. She slid past him, making sure to brush her breasts against his arm as she did so. He made a grab for her but she back up out of his reach.

All of the mechanics laughed.

Marlene went to stand next to Opie, knowing instinctively that she would be okay with him. He put an arm around her shoulders, and Juice stopped in his tracks.

"Move her car around back, okay Juicey?" Opie said with a big grin on his face as he lead Marlene into the clubhouse with his arm still draped around her shoulders.

She smiled up at him. "Thanks."

He leaned closer to her, "Just for future reference while you are here. Wearing a skin top tank top and tiny rolled up shorts will always attract that kind of attention around here." he said kindly.

She stepped back from him and looked down at herself. "What? These are my traveling clothes." she said defensively.

Opie took in her long slender chocolate brown legs, her bra-less breasts, and long dark brown hair that had been pulled back into pigtails. He looked at her face and took in the dimples that were winking with her grin, her full pink lips and huge hazel eyes and shook his head.

"Some of the guys around here are fresh out of jail, or just about to go in." he said quietly. He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. It was a gesture of friendship. "Just be gotta be smart okay? Don't want to end up a passaround."

She opened her mouth to ask what the hell a passaround was, and he turned her and pointed to a hallway. "Tara keeps some things in Jax's room, it's on the left at the end of the hall, go back there and relax and change. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Marlene turned and looked up into his eyes. Taking the hint, she smiled at him and walked back to the room he directed her to.

* * *

She walked into the room and looked around. She saw two playpens sitting side by side in the far corner, and a changing table sitting next to them. The bed looked comfortable and clean, but that was were the cleanliness ended in the room. On the walls yellowing posters of porn stars hung in their full glory. The dressers and floor carpets looked old and just a bit dirty.

She walked over to the bathroom and peeked her head in, expecting the worse. It was spotless and clean. She breathe a sigh of relief and opened to the doors to the cabinet under the sink. It was stocked to the hilt with a large blue medical bag, extra toothbrushes, soap, wash clothes, large fluffy towels, and toothpaste.

Marlene picked out an unopened toothbrush, bar of soap, wash cloth and towel. She decided to borrow some of Tara's make-up and grabbed her make up bag as well.

After a long hot shower, Marlene took survey of herself in the mirror. She pulled the rubber bands out of her hair and finger combed it until it fell in straight layer down her back. She ran a hand over her face and shook her head.

Juicey boy must be hella hard up to come on to her so strong, she thought. At the thought of him, she felt warmth shoot through her body again.

How hard up was she? she thought and laughed at her reflection in the mirror. She put on some moisturizer, mascara and lip gloss. She smiled at herself in the mirror. She looked cute. She thought about Juice's reaction if she would go looking for him in the maroon bath towel she had on now.

The warmness between her legs intensified.

Shit, she thought, she was going to have that man.

The walked out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around her and went to the dresser. She pulled out a pair of Tara's jeans, which were so snug she had to lay back on the bed to button them up.

She and Tara were pretty well matched up in every way.

Except she had a big ghetto booty and Tara didn't.

She stood up and went on a hunt for a shirt. The only thing she could find was a bunch of old short-sleeved t-shirt with SAMCRO written across them or reapers with guns pictured on the front. Marlene held one up and shook her head.

What the hell have you gotten yourself into Tara?, she thought as she pulled the shirt over her head. She rolled up the hem of the shirt to her bellybutton and tied a knot in the back. She sat on the bed and pulled her shoes on then walked over to the full length mirror to check herself out. She tugged the shirt up a little more so that more of her mid-drift showed. She turned and checked out her ass, walking away from the mirror as she did so.

Watch out Juice, she thought and smiled at her reflection again.

She walked out to the bar area and noted that everyone was gone except an old, heavy set man with an oxygen tank strapped to his side. He was smoking a cigarette and the doctor in Marlene came out full force.

She walked over to where he was leaning against the bar, and he looked up at her.

"You must be Tara's friend", he said in a low gruff voice.

"That'd be me." she said as she slid into the bar stool next to the old timer.

"You want?" he asked holding up a beer. She nodded her head and he walked behind the bar. She was taking a mental medical evaluation of the man. He popped the top on the beer and handed it to her.

"Much obliged, kind sir." she said purposefully letting her southern accent slip out

He smiled slightly and nodded at her. "Anything for a pretty lady such as yourself, darlin'."

She smirked at him and knocked back her beer in four long gulps.

He raised his eyebrows at her."Want another?" he said.

"Nah, but thanks for the refreshment."

"Anytime sweetheart." he said as he mashed out his cigarette.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Those things will kill ya, you know." she said

"So I've heard." he said sarcastically.

"So then you also know that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is something that will take you out in short order?" she said as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"How'd you know that's what I got?" he asked suspiciously.

"Short spurts of breathing, barrel chest, oxygen tank; which I am guessing is from a bad onset of respiratory acidosis. Trouble keeping your balance, heart palpitations probably too." she said mentally taking stock of the man in front of her, "but I'm guessing that won't stop you from being a badassed motorcycle riding charming son of a gun."

He smiled at her, and Marlene knew right then that she had won him over.

"You a doctor too?" he asked.

"Best in my field", she said.

"And that field will be?"

"Cardiology."

He raised his eyebrows and smiled at her while tipping his beer back. "Looks like I've got a new doctor."

She was about to reply when the door of the clubhouse and Tara walked in with a baby strapped to the front of her, and another riding on her hip. She spotted Marlene at the bar and walked over to her quickly. Juice came in the door behind her carrying a baby bag and two grocery bags. He followed Tara over to Marlene.

"MARLEY!" Tara cried while kissing her friend on the cheek and pulling her close with her free arm. Marlene hugged Tara back, and kissed her on the cheek. Hugging her friend, being close to her, felt like coming home.

She and Tara had been friends since they became accidental lab partners in Organic Chemistry at UCSD more than 12 years ago. They had both applied to Loyola Medical School and both got internships at the same hospitals. They jokingly told people that they were twins, and never batted an eyelash at the strange looks they got from the declaration.

Marlene ran her hand over the blond head of the sleeping baby strapped to Tara's front. She ran a finger over his pink, soft round cheek.

"He's beautiful Tara." she said. She turned to the baby on Tara's hip. He was watching her with big blue fascinated eyes. She held her hand out, palm up and smiled at him. He smiled back, and Marlene fell in love.

"Oh aren't you a little charmer?" she asked him. "You are just the most handsome baby boy Auntie Marley has ever seen." He grabbed her hand and moved closer to her. She held out her arms and he held up his. She picked him up and bounced him on her hip, completely enamored.

Tara motioned for them to sit down at a table and Marlene followed her, still holding Abel in her arms.

"How was the drive?" Tara asked her as soon as she sat down.

"Uneventful." Marlene said totally wrapped up in her conversation with Abel. She glanced over at Tara. "Borrowed some of your things, hope ya dont mind."

"Nah, you're good." she said while watching her friend charm Abel. She felt Thomas stir in the sling she was carrying him in and she stroked his back.

She looked back at Marlene and smiled, happy that her friend was finally here. When she had asked Marlene to come and help her out she hadn't really expected her to say yes, or to even be happy about moving to a small town with nothing to do, but Marlene had sounded excited to get out of Chicago.

"You seem happy Tara." Marlene said snapping Tara out of her mental wanderings.

Tara smiled, "I am."

"Good." Marlene said letting Abel slide down to the floor. She watched him toddle over to Juice, who was sitting at the bar typing on his computer. Juice reached down and scooped Abel up and Abel giggled.

"Who wouldn't be happy surrounded by these hot men?" Marlene asked her friend as her eyes roamed over Juice's back.

Tara watched her. "Careful there, Marley. He just got out of prison, he's still skiddish, hasn't been adjusting well." she told her friend quietly.

"I can get him adjusted." Marlene said sarcastically.

Tara touched the back of Marlene's hand. "I'm serious Marlene. Juice feels guilty that he got paroled before any of the other guys that went in with him. He thinks that they all should've come out together." Tara shook her head, staring off into space. "He won't be the same until everyone is home, together."

"I understand Tara. I've been around this sort of thing before." Marlene turned to look Tara square in the eye. "I'm not looking to involved. Just need someone to cleanse my palate with while I'm here."

Tara laughed out loud, jarring Thomas awake. The baby began to cry and Tara rocked him until his cries subsided. She looked back at her friend, who was looking at Thomas with a slight smile on her face.

"You want to hold him?" Tara asked her.

"Absolutely." she said standing and walking over to Tara. She bent at the waist and took the little guy from Tara's arms. She rocked him back and forth, stroking his light blond hair. He opened his eyes and Marlene noted that they were green. "He looks exactly like John." she said

"Yea" Tara said.

"Where is he anyway?"

"Should be getting out of school soon. I sent him a text to let him know you'd made it to town."

"Can't wait to see my baby."

Juice wandered over to the two women, and heard the last of the conversation. Marlene had a baby? he thought. He could not remember her background check mentioning anything about any children. He would have to do a bit more digging later on. He sidled up next to her with Abel toddling along behind ran a rough hand over Thomas' head, smiling down at the little boy. He watched as Marlene rocked Thomas to sleep. Her face was relaxed and soft. In that moment she looked beautiful to Juice. He felt a bit jealous of the baby, no woman had ever held him or looked at him as tenderly as she was now holding and looking at Thomas.

Juice felt a pull from the woman he was standing in front of. He had watched her stretch, draw in by her wonderful slender body and her graceful movements. When she had opened her eyes and looked up at him he felt a warmth slid down his spine. He wanted to fuck her, but he also wanted to talk to her.

It was weird, he had never felt that way before. Women were for one use only in his life. He had watched his brothers fall in love, but he never experienced it first hand and had trouble believing it existed. He didn't think that his attraction to Marlene was "love at first sight", perhaps more like i-want-to-fuck-you-because-when-you-stretched-i-saw-an-outline-of-your-camel-toe-but-the-intelligence-and-knowledge-in-your-eyes-makes-me-want-to-have-a-conversation-with-you-too at first sight. Juice shook his head, and forced himself back to reality. He thought she might want him, but he had to be sure first. He looked at Marlene again, silently ordering her to look up at him.

She glanced up at him, and gave him a big smile her even white teeth gleaming against her dark pink lips.

Juice smirked at her, ah yea she wanted him.

"Looks like I've got some competition", he said looking down at the baby between them.

"Hard to compete against such a cute little guy", she said looking down at Thomas and smiling to herself.

Juice laughed a little. She was cute. He liked that.

"Hard to tell which cute little guy you're talking about there Mar." Tara said as she walked up to Marlene and bumped her hip with hers. "I'll take Tommy to my room and so he can get a good nap before John gets here."

Marlene gently placed Tommy into Tara's waiting arms. Tara smiled down at her son, her face radiant. In the 12 years she had known Tara, she had never seen her look so happy. It made her happy and hopeful that her friend had finally found her place in this crazy world.

Tara walked toward the rooms, Abel toddling after her saying, "Mommy! MAMA!"

Marlene turned to Juice. She sucked her stomach in, and put her hands in her back pocket. This was a casual move that she had perfected her junior year of high school. It made her stomach look flatter, casually arched her chest up, and drew attention to her one true asset.

Her ass.

This did not escape Juice's attention. He stepped closer to her. She looked up at him, standing her ground, and taking in his scent. Her stomach curled with desire.

Oh yea, she thought.

She arched an eyebrow at him, silently asking him what he wanted. He raised his eyebrow as well, asking her the exact same question.

"You stepped into my space, my friend." she said quietly

"Yea" was all that Juice said and he moved closer. He placed his hands on her exposed mid-drift.

When his rough warm hands made contact with her skin she thought she would rip his clothes off right there in the middle of the bar room.

He saw her response in her eyes and he smiled at her.

Not one to be outdone she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his thick muscular arms around her waist, bringing her closer to him.

She pressed her chest to his chest. He leaned his face close to hers. She closed her eyes thinking her was about to kiss her. Instead he whispered, "Third room, left side of the hall. After the garage closes." He released her and walked out of the clubhouse. Leaving behind a very turned on and thoroughly confused Marlene.

She stood there blinking when the clubhouse door was pushed open quickly and she heard, "AUNT MARLEY!" and was suddenly embraced by long, thin but strong arms.

She looked down at John and hugged him back. She pushed him back from her and held him at arms length, getting a good look at him. She considered herself his second mother, and she felt a heart tugging warmness wrap around her as she looked at him.

He was bigger, taller. His hair was longer and blonder. He wore baggy blue jeans and an old beat-up t-shirt similar to the one Marlene had found in Tara's room.

"Jesus Christ baby. You Grew!" she exclaimed, pinching his bicep.

He blushed and Marlene smiled, he was still her baby. "Yea that happens Aunt Marley."he said. A blond girl followed him into the clubhouse, she looked at them and then looked down at her feet. She walked over and stood next to John. John looked over at her and bumped her arm. She looked up at him and blushed and smiled.

"Ellie, this is my Aunt Marley" John said in introduction, "Aunt Marley, this is Ellie."

Ellie looked back at her feet and Marlene smiled. "Hello Ellie" she said brushing the little girl's hand with her own. Ellie looked up at her, surprise clear in her eyes.

"It's nice to meet you." Marley said

"You too" Ellie said quietly. She looked over at John and John smiled back at her. She blushed again and looked away.

Marlene's eyebrows raised. So that's the way the waters flow, she thought. She smiled a little and looked at John. He was an attractive boy, would turn into a handsome man. He was intelligent beyond all belief and had a outgoing personality. She would bet her bottom dollar that his feelings for this little girl in front of her were strong and true.

"I brought you some presents kid." She said and snapped his attention back to her. Even Ellie was looking at her.

"Where is it?" he said excitement clear in his voice.

"Somewhere behind this garage, in the truck." she replied.

"Is it what I think it is?"

"Depends"

"On?"

"What you think it is."

"Aunt Marley..." he said in exasperation.

She gave him a large toothy grin.

"Well let's go get it!" he said as he dropped his book bag and ran out of the door of the clubhouse. Marley laughed at him and followed him out. Juice was standing across the parking lot in close conversation with an older woman with shoulder length dark brown hair. Marley felt a trill of jealousy run down her spine. Was this his old lady? She whipped her eyes from him and the woman and folded her arms across her breasts. Trying and failing to master her anger. Why was she jealous? He wasn't hers. Just a possible fun diversion. If he was willing to cheat with her, she wouldn't stop him. He was a fucking cheater! Fucking mother fucker. Marley marched behind the kids, noticing that when they were out of eyesight of everyone they walked closer together, holding hands.

Her heart was thumping in her chest when she made it around the corner and found the truck. She unlocked the padlock on the gate and roughly pushed up the hatch of the truck.

John climbed up and started screaming while jumping up and down. Marley had to hand onto the side of the truck to keep from falling.

In front of them sat his Kawasaki KX 450F dirt bike. John was so excited that he couldn't form words, a phenomenon that Marley had never witness before this day.

Ellie climbed onto the back of the truck and followed John inside. Marley jumped down and continued to try to master her anger. She paced back and forth in front of the back of the truck. Even though they had only touched twice, and almost kissed once. She was still mad.

Men were just shit, she decided. Nodding to herself and crossing her arms over her chest again. She just attracted the most shittiest men ever placed on the planet. To think, the guy had a woman, possibly a wife, and he was coming after her like it was nothing. RIGHT UNDER HIS WOMAN'S NOSE! Shit.

She walked over to a tree and kicked it, then immediately started jumping up and down as pain shot through her toe and up her leg.

"SUGAR FRICKIN' SUGAR!" she yelled, trying her best not to curse in front of the children that were now climbing out of the back of the truck. She hopped around for a while, and then just sat down on her butt on the asphalt cradling her injured toe.

"What the hell?" she heard and then she was suddenly lifted into the arms of the man that had caused all of this. He scent rose around her and she turned her face away from him and gritted her teeth together.

John jumped down from the truck and ran over to them. "Aunt Marley! What happened?" he asked anxiously.

She felt bad for making him worry, so she threw a smile his way and said she was okay. He didn't look convinced and trailed along behind Juice as he carried her back into the clubhouse.

He sat her down gently in a chair and hollered for Tara. He grabbed another chair and quickly brought it over to Marley. He lifted her leg carefully and placed it on the chair in front of her. If she weren't so pissed at him she would've found his display funny. It was a stubbed toe, not a fractured skull.

He rocked from one foot to another anxiously waiting for Tara to make an touched her calf and she felt a tingle.

She really needed to get laid, but not by this douche bag.

"Is it broken?" he asked worriedly.

She rolled her eyes at him and refused to reply.

Tara walked over to them and frowned down at her friend. "What the hell Marley? Don't tell me you got mad and got into a fight already?"

Marley snorted. "Yea with a tree."

Tara laughed out loud and Abel laughed along with her. He was just behind her holding his favorite fire engine. Marley looked over at him and smiled. Even he knew she was being an ass. She held her arms out to him and he ran to her. She picked him and he showed her his toy and said, "Truck!"

"Yes" Marley said smiling wide at him, "It's a fire truck. Can you say fire truck? Hmm little man can you say fire truck?"

Abel looked at her seriously and then said, "Fire fuck!"

Everyone in the club busted out laughing. Marley looked over at Juice. He was cute when he laughed, still a cheating, douche bag, but a cute one. She blew out a pent up breath and looked away from him. She was going to have to keep her distance from this one. Marlene Samson had been a lot of things in her life, but a home wrecker was not one of them.

"So you are okay?" Tara asked.

"Right as rain. Just thought I'd let big boy here play hero to my damsel." she said poking her thumb at Juice.

He frowned at her and Marley turned her face away from him.

"We should probably go home." Tara said, "You think you can drive the truck with your 'injury'?"

"Sure" Marlene said as she jumped up. She still refused to look at Juice, and she walked past him without a word. She pushed the clubhouse door harder than she needed to when she walked out of the door, and limped quickly back to the climbed into the driver's seat and looked in her eyes in the mirror.

Why was she so mad?

* * *

She helped Tara move boxes into the garage of the big brick two story house. She was trying to keep her mind off of Juice and his woman. She focused on the task at hand, and took in her surroundings.

The house was beautiful. It was completely brick with a three car garage. It had two stories,five bedrooms, two large dens, a formal dining room with a long redwood table as it's centerpiece, and a large eat in kitchen. The yard was fenced in and large, with a two sets and a pool in the back. Tara had it recently built after Thomas was born, since she had outgrown the house she had lived in before Jax was sent to jail.

She watched as John rolled his dirt bike down the ramp of the moving truck. He looked excited and happy. She smiled at him and followed him into the garage. She walked over to the corner and picked up her suitcase.

When Tara had called her and asked her to move her things from storage to Charming, Marlene had jumped at the chance to get away from Chicago. She had not heard from Tara in over a year, and two hours before the call she had walked in on her future husband and with the receptionist from her practice. He had her bent over the black leather sofa Marlene had picked out for him.

She wasn't sure what offended her more, the fact that he had never made her scream that way, or the fact that the girl wasn't even attractive.

She laughed at herself as she walked up to Tara's guestroom. This room was much nicer and more richly appointed than the room at the clubhouse. Marlene collapsed on the bed on her back. Her mind immediately went to Juice and her animal attraction to him. He was handsome. He was obviously of Latin decent. Marlene had always had a thing for latinos. She rubbed a hand over her breast. Feeling her nipple harden when she thought about what Juice's hand would feel like there.

She let out a frustrated sigh, and got up and walked over to the bathroom. She was going to take a cold shower and then get reacquainted with her best friend.

* * *

Marlene and Tara were sitting in the kitchen preparing dinner when Juice old lady walked in the back door. Marlene paused, not sure how to react.

Tara smiled and the older lady and she smiled back at Tara.

Marlene set her knife down.

Tara wrapped her arm around the older woman's waist and walked her over to the island where Marlene was standing.

Marlene crossed her arms over her chest.

"Marlene, this is Gemma. Gemma, Marlene" Tara said in introduction.

Marlene muttered hello as Gemma took her measure with her eyes. Gemma nodded once to herself and said hello back to Marlene.

Gemma? Marlene thought, but wasn't that Jax's mother? Which means she is married to Clay, the leader of the pack? So how could Juice...

Marlene replayed the scene of them together in her head again. She remembered seeing Gemma touch his arm, but nothing more than that. He had smiled affectionately at Gemma but it had not gone beyond that.

Marlene's arms fell to her sides. She looked at Tara with wide eyes.

"What time is it?" she asked Tara.

"Ummm around 8:00 pm, why?"

"I gotta go"Marlene said

"Where are you going?" Tara asked her retreating back.

"To get some Juice!" Marlene said flashing a smile over her shoulder as she grabbed her friend's keys and walked out of the side door.

* * *

Juice sat on the top of the picnic table outside of the clubhouse smoking a joint. A croweater walked up to him and came to stand in between his legs. She rubbed her hand down his chest, but Juice ignored her.

He was thinking about Marlene. What the hell had happened? He knew she wanted him. That shit was clear in her eyes when she first looked at him. She had gone all cold on him after he had made her an offer.

Maybe she was offended? Shit, he didn't know. He looked down at the croweater that was still trying to get his attention. Maybe he should just fuck her. Obviously it had been too long since he had a woman. He probably just needed to get the shit out of his system, then Marlene wouldn't look so appealing to him.

He remembered when he saw her sliding out of the moving truck. He had to admit that he was shocked when he saw her in person. She was totally not what he expected.

When Tara told the club that she was having her best friend college come out to move the rest of her things from Chicago, everyone had been up in arms. Not knowing what to expect. Juice had run an extensive background check on her. He thought he knew exactly the type of person she would be.

He was wrong.

When he watched her slide out of that truck. He long dark slender legs exposed, her tight AC/DC t-shirt revealing far too much of her chest, and her cute little pigtails he had been, shit well, he had been awestruck.

When he watched her unfurl before his eyes. Stretching out her obviously sore muscles. He had been seriously attracted. He was across the parking lot and in her face before he could stop himself. When she had looked up at him, and then smiled. Shit he wanted to press her up against the truck and fuck her right there.

He felt his dick growing hard at the thought of that. The croweater in front of him gave a throaty giggle, thinking she was doing it for him. He stood up and pushed her away, walking toward his bike. He would go for a midnight ride. Clear his head.

He was about to exit the parking lot when he saw Marlene turn Tara's black cutlass into the parking lot. Their eyes met. They both knew why she had come. Juice looked at her, and then nodded his head. She pulled into the parking lot and made a U-turn, and then followed him out into the road, and then to the outskirts of Charming.


	2. Not Afraid

**A/N: I do not own any SOA characters. Marlene and John are mine though.  
**

**I just want to address some issues that have come up from some of the readers. **

**First, Marlene is black. Mixed actually. White and black. No spanish, no asian. The end. **

**Second, Yes I do believe that a club such as SOA would be accepting of black ole ladies, assuming that's where Marlene and Juice are going. They have Juice, he is not white, he is latino, I think they are willing to be racially diverse. **

**Third, I'm writing Juice this way because he has been changed by the events of the last two years. Think about it. He has been through a lot of shit. If you had gone through that, wouldn't you be a bit different? No worries, he will be Juice at the core of it. **

**Thanks for reading everyone. Love the reviews, keep em coming. I even enjoy the comments on my writing and when people ask me to explain why I did this to a character or that. **

**Keep it coming!**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Marlene stopped the car and immediately walk over to Juice. He was still sitting on his bike.

They were somewhere in the woods, and she could smell the ocean nearby.

He grabbed her when she was within arm's length of him and crushed his mouth against hers.

"Mmmm yes" Marley groaned.

Juice didn't respond he just pushed her lips open with his tongue and did things to her mouth that Marley had previously believed impossible. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he dragged her onto his bike so that she was sitting side saddle in between his legs. He let his hands roam all over her body while he continued to kiss her.

He felt an urgency that he couldn't describe. He did pulled her pants down and threw them to the ground. He didn't bother to pull her tank top off he simply ripped it in half.

She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. She pulled his cock out and stroked it. Touching his long, hot, hard length turned her on more.

Juice pushed her panties to the side and ran a finger down her pussy. He dipped his finger inside and felt her wetness. He moaned low in his throat and broke the kiss. He threw her right leg over the other side of the bike so that she was straddling it too. He lifted her and lowered her over his shaft. They didn't slide together perfectly at first, but she lifted her hips slightly and then the perfect slide to perfection happen.

Juice gritted his teeth and wrapped an arm around her. He pressed down on the top of her ass and to deepen his stroke. He was shocked at how tight and hot she was.

Marley kissed Juice as her body adjusted to his length and thickness. She moved her hips slightly and felt him nudging at a place she had no idea existed until this moment. It felt good, it made her feel wild. She ground her hips hard against him and heard his quick intake of breath.

She smiled and ended the kiss. She looked up into his dark eyes and ran her hand over his face. She smiled at him and leaned back with one arm against the seat of the bike. She hooked her legs under his thighs.

Suddenly the angle was changed and Marley was in control. She gyrated her hips against his, slamming his cock in and out of her pussy. She ground her hips against him bringing the tip of his cock in direct contact with her g-spot.

He leaned back against the handle bars of the bike, bracing his feet on the ground to keep them from tipping over. He watched her use her body to milk his with heavy lidded eyes. He watched as she came undone, watched her arch her back and heard her scream his name. He felt her walls close around him over and over, but he needed her to have more. He watched as her beautiful eyes slide into the back of her head and threw her head back.

"Marley" he said his voice heavy with desire. He slide his left hand down her stomach and into her pussy. They were still joined and her body was still spasming around him. He used his thumb to gently trace slow circle around her clit.

"Marley" he commanded.

She looked up at him, her eyes dark and dazed. "Cum for me." he said

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head again and Juice increased the pressure of his thumb to the point of pain. Marley's head snapped up.

"Look at me." he commanded.

She stared at him, and he decreased the pressure on her clit, making her moan again. Juice could tell she wanted to tip her head back again, but she didn't she stared at him with heavy lidded eyes. Allowing herself to be completely vulnerable in his presence.

Her body started to move of it's own accord, following the movements of his thumb. Her hips moved in slow, steady circles.

She whimpered and rocked against him harder.

Juice was on the edge when Marley came again. He let go and came with her, emptying himself into her.

He grabbed her and brought her body flush to his, kissing her hard, using him tongue to stake his claim on her body. She was still moving against him, seeking another release. He continued to use his thumb on her as she rocked against him. He braced his arm under her ass and she wrapped her legs around his waist, bring him deeper into her. He stood, his legs still straddling the bike. He drove his cock up into her over and over again, suddenly seeking a new release.

They came together, Marley screaming his name with a catch in her breath and Juice moaning her name deep in his throat with his face buried in her throat.

* * *

Marley lay on her back on the small stretch of sand at the bottom of a cliff next to the ocean. She was completely naked, save for Juice's arm which was draped across her belly.

He had pulled the blanket out of his saddle bag after they climbed off of his bike. He tossed it over his shoulder, and then tossed her over his shoulder on top of it and carried her down a path through the woods and onto the beach.

The cliff acted as a wall, which made the beach feel secluded even though Marley could clearly see signs of life in the empty beer cans scattered about the corners of the small beach.

Juice was on his stomach with his face turned toward her. She tangled her hand in the curls on his head and smiled at him.

"You should let me braid your hair", she said as she twirled one short, dark curl around her finger. "Give you some pimpin' cornrows."

He laughed at her. "You think I would look okay like that?"

"Oh yea baby. I wouldn't do something to you that would make you look silly."

"The guys would shoot me major shit over it."

"They'd shoot you shit anyway." she said and scooted closer to him. She rolled onto her stomach and kissed him on the lips. It was slow and sweet. She felt open to him. She may just be vulnerable from her last break up, but she knew this man in front of her would be one of the biggies in her life.

"I'll think about it." he said and ran his hand over her back. He felt ridges on her back and sat up on his side with his hand supporting his head to have a closer look.

A royal blue tattoo covered her back. It was a medical symbol, two snakes wrapped around a staff. At the top of the staff was a set of wings that spread out and covered her shoulder blades. The staff ran from the top nap of her neck to the small of her back. "Аво́сь да как-нибу́дь до добра́ не доведу́т" was written in block letters on either side of the staff.

He ran his hand over it. "This is really beautiful artwork, what does this mean?"

She sat up and peeked over her shoulder. She liked him stroking her tattoo. "I got the medical symbol the night after I found out I passed the medical board exam. The inscription is a russian proverb it means, "Maybe and somehow won't make any good.'"

He kept stroking her, "So don't leave anything to chance. Right?"

"Yup, was my granddaddy's favorite saying." she said quietly.

"Were your people Russian?" he asked

"Yea. Mom's side." she said staring off into space.

She turned her eyes back to him and smiled at him, then turned and laid back down. He stroked her for a while longer, and then laid back down next to her.

They were quiet for a while, both lost in their own thoughts.

She turned on her side and scooted closer to him. He turned on his side and wrapped his arms around her. She rested her head on his shoulder.

He kissed her forehead. She liked this, a lump rose to her throat as she realized it would be twice as hard to walk away from him if she actually liked him. She sighed heavily and wrapped her free arm around his waist.

He had a tattoo on his side, and her fingers grazed over it. When she had looked at it earlier, she noticed that it didn't look anything like his other tats. It was a perfect block with a series of "0" and "1".

His fingers played over her back, and it took her a minute to realize he was playing the guitar chords of a song on her back.

"What song is that?" she asked

He paused a moment, surprised that she had figured out what he was doing. "Just something I'm putting together." he said quietly

She smiled to herself. "I could never figure out the guitar, but oddly enough I play a mean piano." she said

"Oh yea? Can you play a nice piano?" he asked innocently

She pulled back from him and looked at him. She noticed that he was forcibly holding back a smile, a set of attractive dimples appeared in his cheeks. She poked her finger in one, falling love with them. He smiled at her, a big goofy grin. She smiled back. His eyes lit up when he smiled like that.

She liked it.

"What your real name?" she asked

He looked at her for a moment. "Juan" he replied.

"How'd you get the nickname Juice?" she asked.

"Cause I've got the juice. The shit everybody wants and craves" he said confidently.

She laughed. "Yea baby, you got what I want and crave."

He kissed her.

She slapped the side of his ass. He smirked at her.

She shivered and snuggled closer to him. "You cold?" he asked

"Yea, getting cold must be getting close to pre-dawn."

"Hard to believe we've been here this long. Just talking." he said more to himself than her. He looked at her, his expression suddenly serious. "I hardly ever talk to women, never this long anyway."

"I'm just good like that." she said trying to lighten his mood.

"Oh yea you are." he said and smiled at her again.

He rubbed his hand over her ass. "This is nice."

"Yea it is nice being here." she said.

He looked at her again and smirked. "Nah, I meant your ass. It's nice a fluffy. I can sit my beer on it."

She tried to punch him but he pinned her arms to her sides quickly. She tried to kick him but he pinned her legs with his as well. He rolled over on top of her straddling her, but controlling her legs with his thighs. He pinned her arms high above her head and looked down at her.

She saw the desire swell in his eyes and her body responded immediately.

"I want you like this. Tied up to my bed, hands and feet. I want to be able to do whatever I want to you without the possibility of you pulling away from me. I want to run my tongue all over your body, make you squirm and tighten up. Without being able to tighten up your muscles and pull in from me, your orgasm will be so much better." He kissed her neck."So much stronger. I am going to fuck you this way. Your body will want to respond back, but with your hands and feet bound, you won't be able to move. You'll love it. It'll drive you crazy. I'm going to fuck you, so good, no other man will compare. I"m going to get so deep in your that you won't know where I end and you begin. I'm going to make you cream for me, and then squirt for me. I'm going to leave my mark on you Marley." He leaned down and took one of her nipples into her mouth.

Marley was so turned on she could hardly breath. The mental images he had just painted for her were playing in her mind and her entire body was responding to it. She wanted it. He released her hands and moved down body, slipping his fingers inside of her.

* * *

Juice collapsed next to Marley on his bed. They were both covered in sweat and breathing hard. Juice thought he could die right then and die a happy man. He turned his head and looked at her. She was still breathing hard, her tethered legs shaking slightly in the aftermath of her last orgasm.

He had made good on his promise. He had made her cum on the beach, and then brought her back to his dorm room and done it again.

10 times.

As the first rays of dawn peeked through the curtains on his window he had made his final promise to her on the beach come true. She had cum hard, her body stretched like a tight bow string, fighting against her restraints. She squirted on him as he pumped into her, screaming louder than any woman he had ever been with.

Even the ones that faked when he was being selfish.

He smiled down darkly at her, pumping into her hard and then released in her, so much that her could feel it running out of her.

She whimpered when he pulled out of her, and closed her eyes.

He lay there trying to get his head and breathing under control. He liked Marley. She was fun, smart and sexy. She was unselfish in bed and he already knew that she was a good friend and loyal to those she loved through her relationship with Tara.

He felt her watching him and looked over at her. He smiled and her and she smiled back hesitantly. She looked almost shy, and extremely young and vulnerable. Juice felt a protectiveness for her wrap around his heart.

Oh yea, he liked her a lot.

"Ummmm Juan?" she said her voice very hoarse and shaky.

"Yea baby?"

"You wanna untie me?"

"Nah, I dont want to untie you. I'd like to leave you there like this for a while, so I can rest and come back to you again." he turned his body toward hers and sat up, resting his head on his hand. "Suppose Tara would pitch a fit if I did that though."

"Not to mention me." she quipped.

He ran a hand over her belly and felt her shaky response. He laughed at her. "You'd love it."

She looked down and then back up at him mischievously her dimples winked at him," Yea probably."

He laughed and leaned over and kissed her hard on the mouth, then got up and walked over to his pants to get his knife so he could cut her free. He was halfway back to the bed when a knock sounded at the door. He pulled on his pants and started to walk across the room to answer it. Marley yelled at him to at least cover her up and he threw his blanket over her, laughing the entire time. He would bet his bottom dollar that she was used to being in complete control always.

It made it more of a turn on that he had been able to make her completely abandon herself. He opened the door only enough to let himself be seen and found Opie on the other side about to knock again.

"Hey brother, we're gonna head up to Stockton to see the guys. Are you comin'?, Opie asked. Trying not to smile at Juice. He was happy for his friend. He knew Juice had been alone since he got out, was having a hard time. He could see just by his relaxed pose that the screams he had coming from his room last night had helped him to work past some of his demons. Usually Juice refused to go see the guys at the prison he was recently released from. Everyone understood that he was having a hard time and was working through his shit. Opie really didn't expect him to go along.

"Yea man. When ya leaving?" Juice asked.

"8:00 am. Visitation is at 10, we want to get there and beat the saturday rush."

"I'll be ready." he said.

Opie's tried to peek around him to see which croweater had made such a difference in his friend, then it hit him. He knew exactly who it was, he remembered their show from the parking lot. Juice blocked the opening with his body.

Opie raised an eyebrow and smiled at Juice.

"Tara's been calling looking for you Marlene!" Opie yelled into the room.

He burst out laughing when she replied, "Nosy bitch! She just wants the scoop on size, shape and goodness of fit."

"From what I heard just a little while ago it was perfect." Opie replied as he slapped his brother on the shoulder and turned to walk away. He laughed all the way to the bar room.

Juice turned from the closed door and walked back over to Marley. He pulled out his knife and cut her restraints. He sat down next to her and rubbed her ankles, helping her circulation increase.

She smiled at him. "Thank you Dr. Feel-Good."

He kissed her. "You're coming back tonight."

"Is that an order or a question?" she asked sarcastically.

He simply raised an eyebrow at her. She sighed.

"That's how it works right? You tell me when you want some pussy and I jump or get dumped?"

He stopped rubbing her feet and stood up looking down at her. "It works how we want it to work. You're not some croweater, or a sweetbutt. If you want to come, then come, if you want to stay at home, then I'll come to you." He began to pace.

She sighed. She liked him. A lot. She hated that she felt like striking out at the faceless women that could have him whenever they wanted.

"Look." he said, "I think you're a cool person. I like being around you. The sex is hot." he stopped pacing and looked down at her, " let's just not complicate this, okay? You're leaving in a month. For now, I need someone, you need someone. Let's just have fun. I'm not here to force you into anything. Some guys are into that shit. I like my women compliant, and pliable; not frightened and stiff."

She wrapped herself in the blanket and stood. He was being honest with her. She had never experienced this with any other man. She liked it.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the neck. He sighed and wrapped an arm around her."Thank You for that." she whispered.

"I'll come. I'll be here whenever you want me" she said

"Yea you will cum." he said with a lecherous grin and grabbed her ass through the blanket. She slapped his arm and pulled away from him. He tried to grab her but she dodged him and ran around the bed. He came stomping after her, and she giggle-screamed and ran toward the bathroom doorway. She just made it through the doorway when he grabbed her around the waist from behind and spun her around and threw her over his shoulder. She managed to get her arms free and tickled his sides. He stumbled and loosened his grip which gave her enough room to wiggle off of his shoulder. She ran for the bathroom again, losing her blanket halfway across the floor. She manage to get the door slammed this time, but he was on her like a hungry tiger. She pushed all of her weight onto the door, but her easily pushed it open. She scream and laughed and backed away from him, holding her hands up palms out in surrender.

"You give up?" he asked

"Yes" she said breathing hard.

He crossed his arms over his naked chest, and raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled at him and turned toward the shower, intending to get in. He grabbed her from behind and lifted her, put her in the shower stall. He turned on the water and pulled off his jeans and stepped in behind her.

The water had hit her right in the middle of her face, soaking her hair. She gave him an annoyed look.

"You can't just go around getting a black chick's hair wet and thinkin' you're gonna keep livin'" she told him with a frown.

"You look cute with your face all scrunched up like that." he replied. He grabbed the soap and worked it into a lather. He began to wash her off, lingering at her naughty bits. He grabbed the shampoo and put some in his hand and began massaging it into her hair. He scrubbed her scalp with his short nails and she purred under him.

"You gonna let me live?" he asked her in an amused voice.

"Just this once." she said

She grabbed the soap and washed him up, stroking his cock with her slippery hands when she reached it. She grabbed his shampoo and washed his hair for him,as she scrubbed his scalp she felt the tell tale ridges of a tattoos on either side of his head.

"You have tattoo's on your scalp?" she asked thinking of how painful that must've been.

"Yea." he said quietly, " I used to wear a mohawk. Let it grow out when I was in."

"You should let me cut it." she said running her hands through his hair again.

"No" he said as he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips.

"What are the tattoos of?"she asked, confused by his sudden change of mood.

He didn't reply, he simply turned back to the spray of water and washed the soap out of his hair. He turned the water off and stepped out of the shower.

Marley stood there staring at him as he dried himself off.

"I'm sorry. I was just curious." she began.

"Would you just drop it! Shit!" he snapped and then turned and stomped out of the shower.

She stood there with her mouth open, trying to figure out what just happened.

She grabbed a dry towel from the rack and wrapped it around herself. She looked around the bathroom for a comb and found none so she settled with finger combing her rapidly curling hair. Her hair was naturally curly, but she straightened it every morning. She preferred smooth silk to kinky riotous curls.

Thinking she had given them both enough time she walked out of the bathroom and into the room. He was pulling on a red and black t-shirt with nonpatterned designs all over it. He grabbed his boots and socks and plopped down onto the bed to put them on, then he walked over to his dresser and started pulling on his rings. She watched his face in the mirror above his dresser. He kept his eyes down for a moment and then he looked up at her. His eyes were sorry, saying the words that probably wouldn't ever pass his lips. She smiled at him hesitantly understanding the need to keep some things private. He smiled back at her.

"Ummm...since you shredded my tank last night, and my pants are probably fried, could you let me borrow some clothes?" she asked hesitantly.

"Oh yea sorry babe." he said and then he started looking through his drawers for suitable clothes.

When he called her babe she relaxed and smiled. She like the way it sounded coming from him.

He came up with a black t-shirt that said "sons" across the front and a pair of gray sweat pants. The shirt swallowed her and she had to rolled the sweats she that they wouldn't drag, but she didn't care. At least she was covered.

He handed her her shoes and she sat on the bed to put them on. He sat down next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks for understanding." he said quietly

She just threw him a smile and stood up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down to his lap and kissed her, lingering a bit. She felt heat spiral through her again and sighed.

So one night was not going to do it.

"Let's just rest a while, we've got a couple of hours before I have to go." he said as he tugged one of her curls.

She nodded and crawled off of his lap and on to the bed. He laid down next to her, tucking one arm behind his head and the other around her. She lay facing him, he lay on his back facing the ceiling. They both stayed quiet, having said all they needed to say for now. His even breathing lulled her to sleep, and eventually he fell asleep as well.

An hour later the alarm on Juice's cell phone woke him up. Marley lay curled next to him, her body curled against his. He looked at her in almost surprise, for a moment he thought she was a dream.

A slow smile spread over his face as he watched her.

It was going to be an interesting month.

* * *

Juice's mind kept wandering back to Marley. On the drive up to Stockton he kept smiling to himself, remembering something she said or did the night before. He was anxious to see her again.

If he rubbed his upper lip against his nose, he could smell her.

He felt more at peace around her than he had felt in almost two years.

As he got off his bike, he was laughing to himself, and thinking of new chords for the song he had been plucking around with for the last month.

"Jesus Christ lad!" Chibbs exclaimed. "You've been smiling the whole way up here. Either your excited to see your old home, or the lass is having a heavy affect on ye."

"It's the lass for sure Chibbs. No man would want to come back here." Opie said quietly.

"Aye. Must be one helluva woman. Mind if I get me a bit o' that chocolate sweetness?" he asked, testing Juice. He watched as Juice's smile immediately faded, replacing the somber expression he had worn ever since he had been paroled. Chibbs noted that his eyes went dark too, hinting at the aggression that was lurking under the surface.

Chibbs gave Juice a cheeky grin, noticing that the guy was now gritting his teeth together. Chibbs knew Juice couldn't stake a claim over the Marlene lass without declaring her his ole lady.

And he'd have to get the nod on her before that happened.

"Marlene's too good to become a passaround. Back off Chibbs." Opie said coming to Juice's rescue.

Chibbs held up his hands and chuckled. "Just testing the waters lads, no need to be up in arms. No pun intended."

They walked into the prison together. Juice hung back a bit, feeling at home and out of place all at once. After they had been searched and Juice had filled out paperwork, they were ushered into the waiting room.

Tara was already there. Juice knew that she never missed a visit. Juice admired Tara, not in a sexual way, even though she was hot. No, he admired her commitment and utter lack of fear of her love for Jax and the SAMCRO family.

In some ways she reminded him of Gemma. He didn't think she was another Gemma in the making. She would never be Gemma, but she did have the confidence and leadership skills to stand by Jax when he took over the club.

They all sat together, speaking quietly. Juice didn't talk to anyone. He was starting to feel caged and claustrophobic sitting there in the 11x20 room. He watched as Opie said something quietly to Tara, Tara looked over at Juice and frowned, then her green eyes lit up and she laughed.

Juice could feel a blush rising so he got up and began pacing.

A few minutes later the doors opened and the prisoners were lead in. Juice felt a heaviness in his chest as he watched his orange clad brothers walk toward him. They all seemed surprised to see him there, but each one of them nodded and smiled as they passed him.

Opie, Chibbs, and Juice sat down with Clay, Tig and Bobby. Jax and Tara sat together in a corner, speaking quietly to one another.

Everyone was talking except Juice. He felt like he was going to scream and run from the room. He felt hot and a bit like he was suffocating.

It wasn't right. This was all his fault. His intelligence had been wrong, if he had been accurate, examined all the possible avenues, or had even run it past Jax before sprinting to Clay, none of them would be in here.

And yet, even though all this was on him, they had let him go first.

Because his wrap sheet was the shortest. Just a bunch of juvey stuff.

He looked at his brothers and thought he might be sick. He was surprised that they didn't all hate him. Jax had a kid that he had never seen in person because of him, Clay was too old for this place, Tig and Bobby just flat out didn't deserve to be here.

He jumped to his feet when Jax touched his shoulder. Everyone frowned at him.

"You okay bro?" Jax asked concerned.

"Nah...yea...no no I'm fine." Juice said quickly.

"Okay" Jax said not convinced. He turned to the other guys, "Tara's got something for everyone."

Tara smiled and walked up to each man handing each two pictures. One of John at his middle school graduation, and one of John, Abel and Thomas sitting together next to the pool in the backyard of Tara and Jax's house.

All of the men exclaimed over the pictures, surprised at how big Abel had gotten, happy and impressed that John had graduated middle school, and cooing over Thomas.

She walked back across the room and waited for the men to finished their "talk". They made it look like a simple visit, but Tara knew what it really was and knew that her presence and input was not needed.

"Did our new friend get here safely?" Clay asked Opie.

Opie nodded and smirked, shooting a look at Juice. Juice sat back in his chair with a smirk, go ahead asshole, he silently told Opie. Opie shook his head and smiled.

Jax the interplay. "What's so funny?" he asked.

Opie just smiled, Juice looked at the ground.

"Ah yea," Chibbs said relishing the thought of yanking Juice's chain, "Juicey boy made sure our friend got an especially "warm" welcome."

Clay's eyes snapped over to Juice. He looked him up and down, noting that he seemed more at peace. Even in prison, Juice had been restless, quiet and angry. Clay had heard that it had gotten worse when he was released first, but looking at him no one would guess that.

"How long had she been here?" Clay asked.

"Will be 24 hours in about 45 minutes." Chibbs replied.

"What took you so LONG?" Tig exclaimed.

"Nah, he was on her as soon as she slid out of the moving truck." Opie finally said while laughing at Juice.

Juice sat back in his chair and listened to his brother's try to get a rise out of him.

"If she's that calmin' I'm gonna have to try that when I get out of here." Tig said already picturing what it would be like.

Juice sat up straight in his chair and shot Tig a look. Tig was too wrapped up in his fantasy to catch it.

But Clay did.

Good, he thought, make it easy. Marlene was important to Clay's plans. She had fallen into his lap, but like the deal with the Irish. He wasn't willing to let that go without a fight.

And he wasn't willing to let her go either.

She was the key to fix the problem they had left behind.

Clay wanted to test the waters a bit more, he looked at his hands. "Maybe I will." he said quietly.

He watched as Juice's fist clenched.

He was already attached to her. Clay couldn't believe his luck.

He pointed a finger at Juice, "You be careful with that." he said and then dropped it.

When they were done, Tara came back over and updated them on the going on's at Teller-Morrow. She told them about the boys and their antics until the guard came in and called their visitation time.

Juice watched as Tara watched Jax leave with tears in her eyes. He felt a tear in his heart.

He had caused that pain.

* * *

Marley tiptoed into the kitchen side door, hoping not to wake anyone up. She walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.

One night with Juice and she was completely dehydrated. She smiled to herself, reliving a bit of her time with him.

"Morning" a voice said from behind her.

She jumped and dropped her bottle of water. She turned and found Gemma sitting at the round kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee.

"Jesus christ! You scared the crap out of me." Marley said, "What are you doing lurking around in here anyway?"

"I'm not _lurking_. I'm having a cup of coffee and waiting for my grandchildren to wake up." she said

"Oh"

"Oh? Is that all you have to say?

"Yea." Marley said as she grabbed an apple and bent over to get her water. She could tell Gemma wanted to talk so she walked over to the table and sat down.

"Where's Tara?" she asked

"Went up to Stockton to see Jax."

"Oh" she said and bit into her apple.

They sat in uncomfortable silence. Gemma watched Marley, and Marley ate her apple.

She looked up at Gemma, "You got something on you mind, now's the time to say something."

Gemma liked that. She had never had a problem speaking her mind.

"You have fun with our boy?" she asked. They both knew what "boy" she was talking about.

Marley chewed her apple and watched the woman. She had dealt with women like Gemma for years, but somehow she sensed that even those women weren't up to Gemma's level.

She decided to be honest. "Yup." Marley deadpanned.

Gemma nodded, knowing that Marley was playing it cool because she already felt something stirring.

"Good, be careful with that." Gemma replied sipping her coffee.

Marley raised an eyebrow. She decided to throw Gemma off for a bit.

"I thought he was yours." she said while opening her water.

Gemma smiled at her completely at ease. "I figured. You were looking at me like you wanted to stab me last night."

Woman doesn't miss much, Marley thought. "Thought about it." she said casually.

Gemma smiled and nodded, she was beginning to like this woman.

"So how was he?"

"I'm sure you can judge that from the wetness of my hair and the earliness of the hour." As far as replies went Marley figured that it was better and more tactful than a trite "the best i've ever had". No matter how true it was.

Gemma laughed. "You are a clever bitch." she stated and went back to her coffee.

Marley smiled at her. No wonder Tara liked this woman so much.

"So how did you and Tara meet?" Gemma asked. She was geniuingly curious, Gemma knew exactly how hardened Marley was under the shell she presented to the world, and she could not for the life of her fathom how a woman like Tara and one like Marley had been attracted to one another.

"We were the two misfits in our Organic Chem class. Tara being the trashy pregnant chick and me being the wild fowled mouthed black chick. We got thrown together because everyone thought we were the idiots." she said

"They were wrong." Gemma noted. Marley was smart. Very smart, she didn't need a background check to tell her that.

"Yup. Tara and I well, we clicked. It was like, she got me. She could see through my bullshit. We moved in together the next fall, I helped Tara with John, and Tara got me on the straight and narrow. Wasn't for her I'd probably still be partying at UCSD, a tenth year senior." Marley said remembering the wild girl she had once been.

"So Tara is the reason you went into medicine?" Gemma asked, not surprised that Tara had managed to sway her friend, and happy she had Marley all those years.

"Yes, and no. I went into medicine because I was good at it. I was interested in it, and I wanted to make a difference. I could finally focus all my thought outward and help people. It is rewarding. I'm lucky to be able to do it." Marley said.

Gemma nodded. Most people would brag, she was slightly impressed.

"I'm glad you didn't walk away from Tara, helped her with John. Even though I would have preferred he be here with me all those years, if he had to be away, I'm glad he was with two intelligent and capable mother's." Gemma said

Marley leaned back in her chair and watched Gemma. She had just acknowledged Marley as a big part of John's life, and she had thanked her. Marley knew that was huge.

"He's my joy. Made every struggle worth it." Marley said quietly, "I helped without a thought, because I loved him too."

"I know" Gemma said.

They sat in comfortable silence until Thomas made his hunger known with a loud scream. Gemma got up and walked over the fridge and pulled out a bottle of breast milk. She put it in a pot of hot water to warm it up and then nodded at Marley. Once it was warm she walked from the room without another word.

Marley let out a pent up breath. She would never admit it out loud but she was slightly afraid of Gemma.

She felt like she was beginning a new phase of her life.

Hold on to your seat, she thought to herself as she got up and made her way up to her room for a nap.


	3. Leaking Breasts

A/N: I do not own any SOA characters.

This one is long I hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

**On the first page of our story, the future seems so bright.**

** And this thing turned out so evil, I don't know why I'm still surprised.**

** Even angels have their wicked schemes and you take that to new extremes.**

** But you'll always be my hero, even though you lost your mind.**

**-Rihanna**

Marley broke through the surface of consciousness to the sweet music of Juice's light snoring. She turned her head and looked at him. His face was turned toward hers, an errant ray of light from the bay window sitting directly across from Marley's bed slithered across his cheek. It illuminated his skin, making it appear to glimmer. The thought of glittering vampires crossed her mind and a small smiled curved her full lips. Juice was like that to her, he was an unreal character that appeared out of nowhere in her life. The unexpectedness of his presence in her life didn't diminish from it's importance**. **Somehow on the road map of their relationship they had made it here, to this place.

Marley had no idea where "this place" was but she did know that it was distant from where they had come from. He slept with her every night, his attention rarely wavered from her. He looked at other women but she could see the difference in his eyes when he looked at her. He loved her. His every gesture, movement and thought relayed that message. Marley didn't need him to tell her, she could see it in his eyes, feel it in his touch. She heard it in the stories of his past that he shared with her, in the guitar strings that he made sing for her. It reached out and curled around her in the threads of his laughter, in the brightness of his eyes whenever she walked into a room.

Marley couldn't imagine not waking up like this next to him, with the new morning light casting away the shadows of her room. She couldn't imagine not feeling the tensile strength of his arms wrap around her, feeling the force of his heart beat against her ear while his body warmed hers.

In two days it would all end. Marley would have to make use of her imagination, paint pictures of this beautiful man with her mind. Create an avatar of him and put him in her mental happy place. In two days Jax, Clay, Bobby and Tig would get out of jail.

And it would all be over. Her welcome would be played out, her role spent. Her arch as a character in this beautiful play would end. She would go back to Chicago and continue with her life, build the walls of her heart back up. Juice would become the gold standard to which she would hold all men, and no one would ever be able to measure up.

She rolled onto her side and felt a wave of nausea roll from her stomach to the back of her throat, creating a pool of saliva under her tongue. She was up and out of the door of her room before she could take her next breath. She flew down the hall to the guest bathroom and fell to the floor using the toilet as an anchor in a suddenly tilted world.

She threw up three times, mumbling a prayer to God to please take it away after the last time. She rested her head on the toilet seat and breathe in slow careful breaths as realization settled over her like a warm blanket.

She had been in Charming for two months, helping Tara manage her life, and patiently waiting as Jax's and the other's parole hearings were pushed further and further back. Her period had never been normal by any means, she could go four months, at the longest, without it and then it would make a sudden appearance. She had not had a period in five months, and for the past four days she had been waking up and throwing up.

She had not been careful with Juice. She had abandoned herself to him, assuming stupidly that her math was correct. That the loss of her left ovary at the age of 15 and her tilted uterus would provide her with the protection she needed for a few slip ups here and there with him.

Apparently she had been wrong. Juice loved her, this she knew, but the love was new and she knew that the fragile chord it hung from could be broken by something as heavy as this.

She sighed and drew her knees up to her chin, and let the tears roll down her cheeks. Despite herself, she smiled feeling a happiness as the assumed impossible became a reality in her mind.

She heard footsteps in the hallway and before she had time to wipe her tears away or even flush the toilet Tara walked in. She stopped in the doorway of the bathroom when she saw Marley on the floor with tears in her eyes. She walked over to the toilet and looked in it.

"Nausea again?" she said as she flushed the toilet and sat the lid down. She sat down on it and faced her friend. Their eyes met and Tara raised an eyebrow. She crossed her arms over her chest and Marley buried her face in her knees.

"Did you ever think we would be here?" Tara asked as she stared at the top her friend's head.

"Where?" came Marley's muffled reply.

"Me, three kids, big house, good career, small town soccer mom, locked up husband. You, biker boyfriend, pregnant."

Marley rested her chin on her knees and stared at Tara. She loved her friend, Tara had always been the one person that could see through her bullshit and still love her.

"Nah." she replied, "Thought I could keep my heart locked away while man after man failed to chisel through the block of ice that had grown between my legs. I was just scared, and stupid to never opened myself up. It all came to a head when Jake failed to break through too. Juice and I just ended up colliding into each other at the right time." Marley smiled at Tara, "He made me realize that it's not about the block of ice on my pussy but the one I'd let grow around my heart. He thawed me and made me feel real for the first time in 15 years."

"He loves you." Tara stated.

"I know."

"You love him."

"Yes."

Tara watched the struggle in her friend's eyes, she knew something else was at play here. "Life is about choices Marley. I chose to come back, knowing somewhere in the back of my mind that I would be sitting right where I am sitting. You chose Juice, knowing that he comes with a club, knowing that he comes with the life. You chose him knowing that from the moment you looked at him you felt something."

Marley nodded her head. "I'm done here Tara. Jax will be home, things will go back to normal. You will want your home, and your family without interference."

"You are my family Marley. We built this us from the tatters of our previous lives. It's strong and unbreakable. I love you, you ARE my sister. If you choose Charming, Juice, the baby, you will always have a place here." Tara walked over to her friend and got down on the floor beside her, she wrapped her arm around her. "This is US Marley. I didn't just ask you to come here to help me for a short period of time. I asked you here, gently nudged Margret to hire you on as a visiting surgical resident at the hospital because I love you and want you near me. I'm selfish, Chicago is too far away, and so cold. Just stay."

Marley smiled. "I have to think. I have to take a test, blood test, get an ultrasound. I have to tell Juice."

"We can go to the hospital right now. Neeta is here, John just left for school."

"Okay."

* * *

Marley sat on an ugly beige couch in the doctor's lounge of St. Thomas hospital. She bit her nails and her foot swung back and forth nervously.

She could be wrong. She could have the flu and her period could just be extremely off. Tara walked in the door quickly with a smile on her face. She held a white printout in her hand, but Marley did not need to read it to know what the next thing out of Tara's mouth would be.

"Positive." she said triumphantly. Marley felt warmth spread from her heart to every nerve cell in her body. She took the paper from Tara and read it. Her hormone levels were high, indicating that she was in fact pregnant. The urine test had been positive for hGh, now all she needed was an ultrasound to verify gestational age. She couldn't help the smile that spread out across her mouth. She couldn't help the tears that were now coursing down her cheeks and dripping onto the collar of her shirt.

She never thought she would have this. Now here it was in front of her.

Her baby.

Their baby.

If it was at all possible her happiness grew. The hopes and dreams she had put to rest 15 years ago came full circle now. She folded the paper carefully and put it in her pocket.

Tara wrapped her in her arms. "I'm so happy for you." She said sincerely. "I can do your ultrasound for you, or you can wait for the tech. It's up to you."

"You."

They walk down the hall to an exam room with their arms wrapped around each other. Each with a goofy smile on her face. Tara was proud of her friend for not running away from this, and Marley was experiencing the pure joy known to man.

The joy of a mother.

They walked into an empty examination room and Marley sat on the hospital bed in the corner. Tara walked out and five minutes later came back with an ultrasound machine, a bottle of lubricant and several other wrapped objects.

At Marley's questioning look Tara said, " I'm going to an internal u/s, I want to get good pictures of the baby, and check out your uterus to make sure everything is on the up and up."

Marley got off the bed and walked behind the curtain in the corner, she rummaged through a cabinet and came up with a sheet. After quickly taking off her pants she wrapped it around herself and walked back to the bed. She was excited to see her baby, hear his or her heartbeat.

She felt like a kid. Like a giddy little girl about to get the sparkly plastic toy she had been eyeing for days. Tara smiled at her, sensing her excitement.

Marley laid back and watched Tara cover the probe with a condom and then lubricant. She put her feet in the stirrups and slide down without having to be told.

Tara flicked on the machine, set the parameters on it and inserted the probe into Marley.

Marley set back with her eyes glued to the screen.

She saw it suddenly, a small little blip on the screen. The baby was curled into a tiny ball, but as it felt the waves being projected at it, it moved.

Marley and Tara both gasped, both taken away by the moment.

Her baby looked like a peanut, and as she and Tara watched it on the screen, they both fell in love.

Tara zoomed in and they saw tiny rapid movement. Tara turned up the sound on the machine and the room filled with sound of the rapid whooshing of Marlene and Juice's child.

Tears began to course down Marley's cheeks again. Their baby, her miracle.

Tara printed out a few pictures and handed them to Marley. She then began taking measurements of the baby's placenta and Marley's uterus.

"You're 7 weeks 1 day Mar." Tara said happily.

Her friend smiled. "That's one potent man I've got."

Tara laughed out loud, enjoying this peaceful and happy moment with her friend.

* * *

Marley decided to tell Juice that day, but when she drove to Teller-Morrow with Tara he was gone. When she asked where, she was told it was club business.

She pulled out her blackberry and sent a text to him.

"Hey babe. Need to tlk asap."

Less than a minute later she heard her phone beep and she took it out to look at his return message. "Club business. bbs. keep it wrm."

She laughed and sent him back, "its alwys wrm 4 u. c u soon."

She was walking into the office to speak with Gemma when she felt her phone vibrate. She looked down and saw that it was a call from Juice.

"Hey tiger." she said seductively into the phone.

"Sorry I didn't get the chance to tell you I was leaving last night. We'll be back soon. 48 hours max."

"Like I said, no worries. I'll be busy helping Gemma so it's all good."

"Thanks babe. For everything. See ya"

"See ya." Marley hit the end button on her phone before she could say "love ya." She didn't want to be the first to say it. She knew they both felt it, but it had to come from him first.

She stuffed her phone in her pocket and walked into Gemma's office.

She sat down in the chair across from Gemma, looking at her as she worked on her computer. Gemma looked up from her task and gave Marley a patient look.

Marley looked down at her hands. "How much drama would it cause if I stuck around and Juice and I became a permanent thing?"

Gemma leaned back in her chair. So Clay had been right, she thought, it's about damned time.

She folded her glasses and sat them on her desk. She looked up and smiled at Marley. "Wouldn't cause any drama at all dear, unless of course you are secretly married, or burned down a building or some crazy shit like that."

Marley laughed Gemma. "You've got to be shitting me. That shit has not happened here."

Gemma simply raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.

"I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I'm pregnant." she watched as Gemma's smile faltered. "I haven't told Juice, I will as soon as he gets back. I want to stick around and see how this plays out between us."

Gemma rubbed a hand over her face and looked down at her desk. How would this affect Clay's plans? she wondered.

"A child is always a blessing." she began, trying to select her words carefully, "Juice is a brother, and like a son to me now. So I do not see how a baby would cause drama within this club."

Marley smiled and Gemma blinked at her. She looked so young when she smiled like that. Gemma almost had a hard time believing the report that Juice had given her as she witnessed the glow that surrounded Marley.

"Thanks Gemma." Marley said as she got up and walked out of the office door. She walked across the parking lot to the clubhouse and watched as Tara worked between two of the club members to patch them up, she knew her friend was capable but Tara looked like she was drowning.

She walked over to the bar and put on a pair of gloves and began working on the big blond biker on Tara's right. He was bleeding profusely from a cut on his head and Marley noticed bruising on his knuckles. She shook her head and began rubbing alcohol on his hands to remove the blood.

He leaned closer to her. "Not as bad as you think it was."

"Mmmm looks like you got the tar kicked out of you, while kicking the tar out of somebody else." she said sarcastically.

He laughed at her, and Marley noticed that he had gentle blue eyes.

"Name's Kozik" he said

"Dr. Samson" she said with authority.

He raised eyebrows and pulled back a little. He looked over at Tara, "You guys travel in packs?"

"She's my sister." Tara said seriously as she tied off the stitches on her last patient.

Kozik looked between Tara and Marley and his eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "But she's...umm on the dark side." he said

"And lover." Marley said as she put a butterfly band aid over the cut on his head. She whipped off her gloves and walked over to Tara. She kissed her on the cheek, and then slapped her on the ass.

Kozik's mouth fell open.

Tara smirked at him. "Prison clause, you know?" She blew a kiss at Marley retreating back.

* * *

Marley was helping Tara hang a "Welcome Home" banner when the door of the clubhouse flew open. Opie and Juice walked in, both looking weathered and tired.

Marley jumped down from the chair she was on and ran over to Juice. Her heart lifted when he smiled at her, and she jumped the last few steps into his arms. His bag hit the floor as he caught her. He buried his face into the space between her shoulder and neck and inhaled her scent. Marley wrapped her legs around his waist kissed the side of his head. He walked through the barroom and turned the corner down the hall to the rooms. When they turned the corner he let his hand slide down her back and to her ass. She snuggled closer to him and he picked up the pace.

He walked quickly into his room and slammed the door shut with his booted foot. He walked over to the edge of his bed and Marley released her legs before she could take her next breath Juice was on top of her, kissing her, touching her.

Marley had trouble keeping her thoughts straight as Juice trailed a line of kisses down her body. He lifted her shirt and laid his lips just below her bellybutton and it hit her.

The baby, she had to tell him.

"Juice" she said trying to push him off of her. He ignored her continuing to trail a path of kisses downward.

"Ugh...umm baby stop." she whispered. This was hard, she felt him unzip her jeans and she knew this would be her last chance to tell him.

She slapped the side of his head. "Juan, we need to talk."

He looked up at her slightly annoyed, slightly confused, a just a bit concerned. She only used his real name when she was being serious.

He stood up and sat down on the bed next to her. She sat up and pulled her shirt down.

They sat in silence for ten minutes while Marley stared at her hands, and Juice stared at her profile.

She took a deep breath and scooted off of the bed. Maybe it would be easier to tell him if she were standing.

"What's wrong baby?" he asked as he reached for her. She sidestepped away from him and began to pace.

She should start from the beginning. She would have to be careful though, they was only so much of the truth he could hear.

"When I was 15 I was attacked and raped." she held up a hand when he began to speak, "there was 10 of them, they beat me and raped me. They hurt me bad, so bad that I had to have reconstructive surgery on my pelvis and uterus. I lost an ovary and damaged my remaining fallopian tube. My doctor told me that I had a less than 2% chance under ideal condition of conceiving. I accepted it. I was smart, I knew what they did to my body could not be reversed."

She looked at him and saw the love, anger and sympathy coming out of his eyes. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to push the memories of that time in her life away.

"Over the last 15 years, I haven't been with anyone. I told myself that if any man really loved me he would wait. Truth is, I was just afraid of being hurt. Not physically hurt but mentally, emotionally. Man after man fell. And then I came here to cheery, sunny California and I met you."

She turned to him and smiled, and he smiled back and held out his hand for her to take. She placed her hand on his and he pulled her forward and buried his face in her stomach. She stroked his dark head and tried to find the courage to move forward.

She had to tell him.

He pulled back from her and looked up into her eyes. "I love you Marley." he said. "Felt a pull from you the minute I set eyes on you. You're mine."

"Juice...Juan...I'm pregnant." she said looking away from him.

He grabbed her chin and turned her eyes back to his. "Are you sure?" he asked

She nodded and reached into her pocket and pulled out the ultrasound pictures Tara had taken two days earlier. Juice took them and looked at them with a confused expression. Marley smiled and pointed to the fuzzy white blob in the middle of the picture.

"That's the baby, and over there is it's heartbeat. I guess it's more dynamic when you are seeing it on screen." She sat on the bed beside him waiting for his reaction. He sat there staring at the pictures in his hand as if he were looking at a mosaic painting and trying to make the picture become whole.

Suddenly a grin broke out across his face and he turned to Marley. "I knew I was good, but damn this is ridiculous!" He stood up and pulled Marley with him. He picked her up and swung her in a circle.

"Oh yea baby, you got da juice." she said and then burst out laughing. He was happy about the baby, she felt as though a ton of bricks had been lifted from her shoulders.

He sat her down and kissed slowly, taking his time and savoring the moment. He hand drifted down to her belly, and she smiled.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" he asked

"I don't care as long as it is healthy." she replied.

"Well, I want a girl."

"I'm surprised. Don't you macho guys usually want young strapping boys to follow in your footsteps?"

"Hell no! Not me. I want a little girl. She'll be beautiful like you", he said still staring down at Marley's belly, "and between the two of us, no one will hold a candle to her on brains. She'll be a fucking super genius."

"And daddy's little girl?" she asked.

"Oh yea definitely that." he said with a laugh. He squatted down so that he was face to belly with Marley. "That's right, little munchkin, you're going to be daddy's little girl. I'll teach you all sorts of things. You grow big and strong, and I'll see you soon."

Marley stared down at Juice's head as he talked to their baby and if it was possible she fell deeper in love with him.

He stood up in front of Marley and gave her a sheepish smile.

"You don't seem very surprised about this." she said.

"Well, I'm not THAT surprise Mar, I mean our first time together I busted in you four times", he said. He smiled at her, "Besides, how else was I supposed to keep you here?"

"You can't be for real?"

"No I mean...not that I knocked you up on purpose. Jesus, it's just that I remember 7th grade health class. I know how babymaking works."

"You did it so that I wouldn't leave?" she asked.

"NO, damnit Marlene. Of course not. I did it because you have a tight sweet pussy and I couldn't help myself. I didn't get you pregnant on purpose. I was kidding."

"Oh", Marley said as she looked down at her hands. Why did she always have to look for the bad? Why couldn't she just enjoy the moment. She looked up at Juice and smiled.

He ran a hand through his hair. It reached his shoulders now. He smiled down at her. It was time for a change.

"Can you cut hair?" he asked.

"Yea."

"I want you to cut my hair. Buzz it down to a half an inch then shave the sides down to the skin."

She frowned at him. Trying to picture what he wanted. "Okay baby, you guys keep clippers and scissors around here?"

"Yea, come on, there's a kit behind the bar." He said as he pulled her out of the room.

* * *

Marlene was putting the finishing touches on Juice's mohawk when she heard the clubhouse door swing open.

"Hey Juicey baby", a woman with long bleach blond hair said as she slid into Juice's lap. The woman was clad in a short, tight, black leather dress and five inch clear plastic shoes.

"Hey." Juice replied suddenly too aware the Marley was standing over him with a sharp razor blade.

The woman rubbed her hand over Juice's head, making a show of touching his tattoos. Marley dragged the razor of the girls fingertips, and watched with satisfaction as she jumped up and cradled her wounded hand with her other hand.

"Stupid bitch! You think they would've taught you to use a razor in homegirl beauty school."

Marley just smiled. This chick was a pussy, she had barely given her a flesh wound.

The woman opened her mouth to say something else but Marley held up her weapon and gave her an evil smile. She pulled Juice's head back and gave him and long lingering kiss. When she pulled away the woman was still standing there with her mouth hanging open. Marley smiled at her and flipped her blade closed. The woman finally took the hint and ran out of the clubhouse door.

Marley laughed and dusted Juice's shoulders off with a towel. She grabbed the broom and began sweeping up his hair.

Juice stood up and pulled his shirt on. He walked over to the barroom mirror and looked at himself. He knew the man looking back at him, this was the person he was meant to be. As Marley had taken off his hair he had felt the weight of his guilt lift as well. His hair had just been a way of him changing himself into something he thought was better. Now he realized that he was good with the person he was.

"Well I guess I won't be braiding it anytime soon, but it looks good." Marley said from behind him. "You look more like...you."

"Yea" he said as he turned to face her.

They walked outside together and Marley spotted Tara sitting with her boys on the picnic tables across the parking lot. The closer she got to Tara the more she could feel her friend's tension. She held Tommy in her lap and bounced him on her knee. She was biting the nails of her free hand down to the quick. John was playing pee-a-boo with Abel on the other side of the table. Tara was staring off into space, the expression on her face tight and tense.

"How much longer until they get here Tara?" Marley asked her gently.

"Umm Gemma just send me a text. 15 minutes." she said as she blew out a breath.

"I'm sure he'll be excited to see you." Juice threw in, he too had noticed Tara's tension.

"Yea", she said biting another nail and spitting it to a spot unknown across the parking lot.

Marley sat down next to Tara and wrapped an arm around her. Juice walked to the other side of the table and began talking to John. They had just started planning a strategy of success against Death Con when a black van and Gemma's new Mercedes pulled into the parking lot.

Tara stood up quickly, holding Tommy tightly to her chest. John jumped up and grabbed Abel, sprinting across the parking lot to the black van.

Marley watched as a tall blond man jumped out of the passenger side of the van and quickly walked over to embrace his sons. She could see tears coursing down John's cheeks as he tightened his arms around the man's waist. She watched as he kissed the top of John and Abel's head. From her vantage point she could see tears in his eyes as well.

Tara walked across the lot to where he sons stood with the man like a robot. Marley followed behind her for support. Tara and Marley stopped about two feet from the boys and who Marley assumed to be Jax and watched as Abel touched his face and said,"Da...Dada!"

Jax hugged Abel to his chest and walked over to where Tara and Marley stood. Jax sat Abel down on the ground and he toddled off to where Gemma was standing with an gray haired biker. Marley noticed that John was already standing with them, and that the man had his arm around Gemma's shoulders.

Must be Clay, she thought to herself.

Marley turned back to Jax and Tara. Jax had his hand cupped around Tara's cheek and was now holding Tommy in his arms. Tara reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed his forehead to hers.

"I missed you, I love you." Marley heard before she smiled at the couple and walked away looking for Juice. She wanted to give Tara some time alone with her family. She felt someone grab her hand from behind and turned with a smile on her face, thinking that it was Juice.

She came face to face with a tall dark haired man. His eyes were the biggest, clearest blue Marley had ever seen, his craggy face was covered with a short beard. He appeared old, and young at the same time. He smiled at Marley, and Marley felt a chill down her spine. She pulled her hand away and stepped back. The man matched her step for step, their dance eerily mirroring the one she had with Juice two months earlier.

"You must be Marlene." he said in a low voice. Marley recognized his accent as north jersey, and the chill in her spine increased.

"Yea." she said quickly.

"I'm Tig." he said carefully wondering why this chick was so acting so afraid of him. "I think we'll have fun together."

A pair of strong arms closed around Marley from behind. She had been so concentrated on keeping her distance from Tig that she had not heard footsteps approaching. She fought without thinking using her foot to crush his foot and her elbow to knock the wind out of him. He released her and she sidestepped, dancing away from Tig and her unknown killer. Marley looked down and saw Juice double over and stopped in her tracks.

Oh shit.

Tig held up a hand, showing her that he was not going to hurt her. He walked over to Juice and squatted beside him.

"You okay man?" he said quietly

"Yea." Juice said trying to get his breath back.

Marley walked over to Juice with her hands on her mouth and her eyes wide. "Oh my god, baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you."

He stood up and limped over to her. He kissed her forehead and put an arm around her shoulders. "At least I know you can handle yourself. Come on Clay wants to meet you."

They walked over to the big, tall gray haired man that Marley had seen with Gemma earlier.

Marley felt like she was she was being put under a microscope as Juice proudly pulled her forward for Clay's inspection.

After what seemed like an eternity he held out his hand and smiled at her. "Nice to meet you, I'm Clay."

She took his hand, notice that even though he put pressure behind the shake, there wasn't much grip to it. She glanced over at his other hand and, putting on her doctor cap, concluded that he must have rheumatoid arthritis.

She smiled at him. "Likewise Clay, I'm Marlene."

Clay nodded at her and then turned to Juice. "Tell everyone to be at the table in ten." With that he turned and walked away.

* * *

Clay walked around the Redwood table that he had taken the helm of almost twenty years earlier. He picked up his gavel and ran his finger over the tip of it. The undue stress and weight of being locked up slipped away from him, for the first time in two years he felt like himself. His men started pouring into the room, this would be their first meeting outside of Stockton. He kept his eyes on the table, not speaking to anyone until at last he heard Jax come into the room and take his seat to left of his elbow. He knew he would have to reveal his plan to get the Russians back on his side and increase the already booming business he was getting from the Irish.

He banged the gravel down and everyone grew quiet. All eyes turned to him.

"I just want to say, how proud I am of everyone that kept this club together, and increased our business while we were away. Thank you brothers." He looked every man in the eye."Treasury?"

Since Opie had taken over treasury while Bobby was away he spoke up. "We're sitting pretty with over a mill from the business from the Irish. We found some new secluded land to build a new factory on and construction had discretely begun." he said quickly and quietly

All of the men cheered, relieved and happy that the club was finally starting to rebound.

"Any other news?" Clay said

"We have issues with the new construction build going on down main street." Juice said as he whipped out his laptop. He pulled up the research he had done and brought the computer over for Clay to view it. Clay slipped on his glasses and quickly began scanning the document.

"Shit." he muttered under his breath.

"What?" Tig asked looking to Juice to explain since Clay was still reading.

"Our new mayor Hale, along with city counsel have okayed the build on two new federal buildings. Downtown Main Street. Right across from the new Starbucks. Looks like FBI will be setting up shop in Charming."

"You have got to be shitting me!" Jax exclaimed as he stood up and snatched up Juice's now discarded computer. Everyone was up and out of their seats, trying to peer over Jax's shoulder for verification.

Clay pinched the bridge of his nose and turned this issue around in his head. An idea occurred to him but he would have to have Juice do a bit of research before it could be set into play.

He banged the gavel down and all of the men turned to him. "Alright! This is a problem, and it will be dealt with, but we have more pressing issues on the table at the moment."

Everyone took their seats again, "Is there any more news?" Clay asked and he noticed that Juice stumbled a bit putting his computer away. He stared the younger man down, and Juice surprised him by not cracking but staring back with his jaw clinch.

"What's going on brother?" Jax asked Juice. Juice looked at Jax and bit his lip, not knowing if he should say anything yet.

"It's about Marlene." he began. He had Clay's full attention now. "Well, first I just want to tell everyone that she isn't leaving. She and I...well she's going to be sticking around for a while."

The room was quiet as everyone tried to figure out where Juice was going with this, and how this could possibly be considered club business.

He took a deep breath and looked at the reaper carved on the table. "She's pregnant." Everyone seemed to freeze in their spots. Chibs was the first to speak.

"Jesus fucking Christ Juicey boy! Haven't you ever heard of wrapping your shit up?"

"Damn, guess I won't be tapping that." Tig said with extreme disappointment. When he has seen Marlene lay Juice out he had been more attracted to her, wondering if she would be that feisty in bed.

Jax got up and walked over to Juice's spot. Juice fully expected him to call him a retard and slap him across the back of his head. "You happy about this bro?" he asked

Juice smiled. "Yea, I love them."

Jax clapped him on the shoulder and smiled. "Then I'm happy for ya brother." Juice stood and they hugged.

"Congratulations brother." Opie said and he hugged Juice as well.

They all returned to their seats and everyone turned to look at Clay waiting for his reaction to the news. He looked up from the table and smiled at Juice.

"I'm happy for you man. Congratulations."

Juice let out a pent up breath and sagged in his seat a little. Happy and grateful that he had gotten the nod on Marley.

"We need to figure out how to resolve our issues with the Russians", Clay said as he glanced at Jax, "peacefully."

"We have a way, and it has been sitting right under our noses for two months now." he looked over at Juice. "Marlene."

Juice sat up straighter in his seat, his first night with Marlene flashing through his mind. "Are your people Russian?" he had asked. "My mother's side." she had said and then changed the subject.

He gritted his teeth as he waited for Clay to lay it out for him.

"Our little Marlene is the granddaughter of a very, very powerful man in the Russian mafia. A man that Putlova would not want to piss off. Vaslay Alvang." All of the men raised their eyebrows, each one looking slightly impressed and slightly afraid of what Clay may say next.

"Mary mother of God", Chibbs said in awe, "Head of russian mafia? The king incarnate?

Jax shook his head at Chibbs. "How do you know this guy?"

"His ties ran strong with the RIRA in the 90's. Something made the relationship go a bit sour. The man is bloody ruthless! Rumor had it that he killed his own daughter and the baby within her because he did not want mixed blood in his family."Chibbs said. "Even if that is bullshat, his girl DID disappear, never to be heard from again."

"It's not true Chibbs." Clay said. "I did a little bit of intel of my own while we were in. His daughter hooked up with the leader of a southern chapter of the one-niners. Real west side story bullshit. Girl got knocked up, dad split. Girl has baby and dies three years later of cancer."

"What does that mean for Marlene?" Juice asked quietly.

"She grew up with her grandfather, he groomed her and taught her. If there was a princess destined for Queendom in their world it would have been her." Clay said "Apparently she ran away from her grandfather when she was 14, went looking for the dad. She found him in Tampa, FL ruling a real gangsta kingdom of his own. She threw in with them, but kept her ties to her grandparents. Turns out daddy had churned out two sons younger than Marlene. They didn't like her, could see that she was smart and shrewd and could knock them out of their place. They put a hit on her, she was raped, beaten assumed dead by them."

"What's her father's name?" Jax asked.

"Anthony Johnson." Juice and Clay said at the same time.

Jax raised his eyebrows at Juice. "You knew about this?"

"I got the intelligence for Clay, all the extra stuff. Got it to him while you guys were still away. I didn't know that it would be used for any purposes other than clearing Marlene to stick around." Juice said sadly. He had a feeling he knew where Clay was going with this.

"Marlene recovered, and then fell off of the face of the earth. She resurfaced under her present name at UCSD in 98'. Alvang has been looking for her. He has never given up. He loves his granddaughter very much apparently." Clay finished.

Juice's hands were clenched he wanted Clay to spit it out, get it over with.

Clay looked at Juice. " We need her to act as a liaison between us and the russians."

Juice shook his head. He had been right, but there was no way he would let Marlene take that kind of risk. "No, she's pregnant, could get hurt."

"You must've missed the peaceful part of my speech. We'll have men to protect her, she won't get hurt. All she will have to do is make a few phone calls. Resurface, let grandpa know that she is alive and under the protection of SAMCRO and set up a meeting." Clay said as he sat back and let the room absorb his plans.

Jax shook his head. "There has to be some other way. If she resurfaces, and her father finds out she is still alive, what happens? We can't have the blood of another old lady from this club on our hands."

Clay shot him an annoyed look. "Look, she'll be protected. We'll have her surrounded like the fucking Pope, and her protection will be maintained until we can be assured that her daddy's little boys won't be a problem."

Jax shook his head again but kept his mouth shut, in theory the plan would work. There would be no blood spilled.

But Jax knew theory didn't mean shit when the chips were down and fate was not playing in your favor.

"Alright me, Op, Hap, Tig on her security detail." Jax said hating himself for agreeing with Clay but not being able to see any other way to play it.

"And me." Juice said. Everyone turned to look at him. Clay started to open his mouth and Juice knew he would refuse him, but he wasn't having it. It was him or nothing.

"It's me as well, or no Marlene." he said coldly.

Clay tried to stare him down again, but Juice would not budge.

"Alright." Clay said. "Talk to her tomorrow and bring her to the table when we reconvene." He bagged the gavel down and dismissed everyone from the meeting.

* * *

The welcome back party was in full swing, there was a bonfire blazing outside. Death metal blasted from unseen speakers outside of the club. Inside the Rolling Stones mellowed everyone out. A game of pool was just being started. Tara, Jax, Opie, Lyla, sat at a table with Juice and Marley.

Marley was sitting in Juice's lap sipping sprite from a cup. If she tried really hard she could pretend that it was a mixed drink. She sighed and watched as Tig sauntered over to their table.

Tara flashed him a big smile. "Wanna play some poker Tig?" she asked. Tig gave her a horrified look and quickly walked away. Jax, Tara and Opie busted out laughing, and Marley frowned at them all.

"What was that about?" she asked the table at large. Tara told the story and Marlene almost fell of Juice's lap she was laughing so hard.

"That reminds me of senior year at UCSD." Marlene said. Everyone turned their eyes toward her.

"Oooooohhhh god, please don't tell that story." Tara said as she closed her eyes and prayed for her friend's silence.

"Oh now you HAVE to tell it Marley." Jax said with a twinkle in his eye. He glanced over at Tara and gave her a big grin. Tara laughed at him and looked away.

"Alright", Marley began, "So Tara and I had turned into real book worms by then. I mean hours at the library, hours at home, never really going out. So we kind of got the rep as being geeks. So the night after we took our MCAT's I hired a sitter, and dragged Tara's ass out of the house to the San Diego bar crawl. After knocking back a handful of shots Tara loosened up a bit and decided to do a little dance on the bar for everyone."

Jax frowned as everyone else laughed, he didn't like where this one was going.

"So I pulled her ass off the bar, knowing that her little strip tease would lead to know where good. I am pulling her out of the door when we get stopped by these two big scary looking motherfuckers. They were acting all innocent, saying they just wanted a game of poker with us. Tara went right for it! So to shut her up I went along with it. We got a table and the guys decided to make it a game of STRIP poker. Tara beat the pants off of them. Literally. We took their clothes and dumped donated them to some homeless people we saw on the way to the next bar."

Tara's face was completely red but she was laughing remembering that night.

Jax reached over and touched Marley's knee. "I'm glad she had you to look out for her." he said sincerely.

Marley smiled at him. She actually liked him a lot. She could tell that he was good to Tara and good to the kids. They worked well together. Their love radiated off of them, blinding everyone around them.

"I'm glad I had her."

Jax smiled at her and she smiled wider. Jax could respect this woman. She had pulled away from the life and had turned it around and made something of herself.

Marley watched a young looking blond girl appeared out of nowhere. She sat in Jax's lap and wrapped a possessive arm around his shoulder. Tara stood up and pushed her off of him. The girl hit the floor on her ass.

Marley jumped up, prepared to defend her friend.

"Thought I told you never to come back here Ima." Tara said in a low, cold voice as she stood over the fallen girl.

The girl jumped up and Marley skirted around the table blocking her in from the rear.

"You don't run shit around here bitch! This is Jax's club. You're just some ugly hag that won't give it up and leave. Didn't you get the hint before he went in? He doesn't want you!" Ima raged in Tara's face.

Jax stepped in between the two women. "You need to leave. Don't come back." he said calmly.

Ima ran a hand down his cut. "But Jax baby, dont you remember how good it was between us?" she said seductively

"No, not really. The only woman I ever remember is Tara. Now get out." he said.

Tara pushed Jax out of her way and stepped into Ima's face. "You set foot on this property again, so much as look in my man's direction again, whether I'm there or not I will hear about it. I will end you."

Ima laughed at her. "You're too much of a_ lady_ to touch me bitch." she said trying to get a rise out of Tara.

Tara smiled at her. It was a cold smile, a dead smile. Ima felt a tickle of fear of the lady.

Marley tapped Ima on the shoulder, remembering what Tara had told her about this little bitch. "But I'm not." Marley said and as Ima turned she hit her with an upper cut. The woman hit the table hard and then slid to the floor.

Marley kicked the girl hard in her side, and then raised her foot to kick her again but was pulled away from her by Juice. "Easy tiger." he said as he pinned her arms to her sides.

Opie helped Ima to her feet and ushered her to the door.

Juice laughed at Marley and then tossed her over his shoulder and carried her to his room.

* * *

Marley woke up with Juices arms wrapped around her. She smiled and ran a hand down his muscular arm. He stirred in his sleep and she turned in his arms to face him.

He opened his eyes and Marley smiled at him.

He kissed her. "Good morning"

He rubbed his hand over her stomach, "Good morning baby girl." he said quietly.

Marley laughed at him, trying to picture what their daughter would look like.

There was a loud bang on their door, and Jax yelled. "We're at the table."

Juice kissed her again, and then moved down her body and kissed her stomach.

Marley sighed as she watched him get up and pull his clothes on. When he left she got up and walked into the bathroom. She took a long hot shower, and walk out into the room and pulled out some of her reserve clothes from his drawer. She was sitting on the bed pulling on her boots when he walked back into the room.

"That was fast." she said as she stood and walked over to him. He made no move to touch her and she frowned."What's wrong baby?"

He looked away from her. "Clay wants you at the table."

"Why?" she asked

Juice looked back at her. They locked eyes and she knew.

"Goddamnit! I knew this shit was going to happen!" Marley yelled. Clay wanted to use past to further his business in the underground, she had suspected it when he had seemed to take an interest in her.

"Listen Marley...-"

"NO you listen! This shit always works the same with you people! You think you can just use people like tissues to get what you need, line your pockets! You call yourself a family this will never be a family, never be a home! You're just a bunch of bullies with huge chips on your shoulders. I'm not having any part of it!" she screamed at him and marched across his room to the door. She opened it an inch when it slammed shut again. Juice leaned against the door with his hand, effectively holding her hostage.

"You can do what you want. Walk out of here if you want, but you are NOT going to insult my family." he said anger snaking through his voice. "We fight for each other, and comfort and protect one another. What makes us so different from any other person in this country? When we go to war the soldiers that fight for us are called heros. But when this club goes to war to protect our family and this town, we are called thugs and looked at with distain!"

"It's not the same!"

"It IS THE FUCKING SAME! You can walk around with you self-righteous attitude all you want but you WILL understand that it is the same!"

"You're still new to this shit Juan. You dont know shit!"

"I know my club. I trust my club. And I know you Marley, you want to help us. You are loyal."

She turned back to him, "You dont know SHIT about me okay? Apparently someone whispered into Clay's ear about me! BUT YOU DONT KNOW SHIT ABOUT ME!" she screamed in his face.

"Your name is Asha Inna Alvang. You were born on June 18, 1980 at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia to your mother Cassandra Alvang. You were raised by your russian grandparents but ran away to find your father just after you turned 14. You lived with him for a year in Tampa, FL until your brothers had you attacked and nearly killed." he said as he looked directly into her eyes.

"Do you think I would let someone waltz into this club without knowing some things about them?" he asked at her wide eyed look.

"I can't help you. You've got the wrong person." she said quietly.

"You're apart of this. There is an US now, and this is our family. The family we need to build up and make strong for our baby." he said

Her head snapped up. "So this is what it was all about from the jump?" at his confused look she pushed his chest and he stumbled back two feet.

"You were all over from the moment I stepped out of that truck. You guys already had the intel on me, what did you do? Draw straws to see which one of you would be given the task to "keep me here"? she crossed her arms over her chest and turned from him. His words from earlier rung through her mind, _"How else was I supposed to keep you here?" he had said. _

Juice ran a hand over his face and stared at her back. "It's not like that Marley. What I feel for you is real. No one was tasked with keeping you here. Think about it, Clay knew your history with Tara, he knew you wouldn't leave until after Jax got out."

She turned to face him, but she wouldn't look at him. Did she really believe that what he felt for her was faked? Shit he had never even had a 20 minute conversation with a woman before her!

She finally turned her eyes to his, she knew how to read people well, she would know if he was lying. "Look at me and tell me that."

He grabbed her shoulders and dragged her closer to him, "I love you Marley. What I feel for you is real. Whatever you believe of me, always know that what I feel for you is real."

Marley collapsed into his arms and started to cry.

* * *

They walked into the chapel holding hands. All the men were convened around the table speaking quietly amongst themselves. All eyes swung to her as she walked with Juice and took the seat next to him.

Clay looked at Juice, "You get her up to date?" he asked him.

"Yea" Juice said quietly.

Clay looked at Marley noting her swollen red rimmed eyes.

"You in?" he asked her. Marley ran a hand over her belly and looked up at Juice. She turned back to Clay and said, "I'll do what I have to do for my family."

* * *

It didn't take long for Marley to set up a meeting time with her grandfather. He sounded shocked and overjoyed to hear from her. He agreed to meet with her and Clay at a local pub.

It also didn't take long for news of her return from the dead to make it's way through the underground pipe line. It made Marley nervous, knowing that her brother's could possibly know that she was still alive.

She was currently sitting in a booth at an Irish pub in San Francisco waiting to see her once beloved grandfather for the first time in 15 years. Juice sat next to her holding her hand under the table. Clay sat across from her looking out of the window.

Marley saw him as soon as he walked through the door. He had not changed. His hair was still silver, his clothes were immaculate, he looked perfect. She jumped up and ran to him, and he held his arms open for her.

"Dedyshka" she breathed into his shirt front.

He pulled back from her, "Granddaughter, I have missed you so much. Your grandmother is smiling down on us at this moment."he said to her in Russian.

"And I have missed you grandfather." she replied in perfect russian. She walked him over to the table where Clay was now sitting alone. "Grandfather I would like you to meet a very important member of my family Clay Marrow."

The old russian man shook hands with Clay, and smiled at him brightly. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking care of my Asha Mr. Marrow." he said.

"It was our pleasure", he replied.

Clay sat back down and Marley sat across from him scooting over enough to allow room for her grandfather to sit down. Before he sat he motioned two men forward and they flanked either side of booth, protecting their leader.

Marley grabbed his hands, genuinely happy to see her grandfather. "You know we asked you here because there is a favor we need." she said quietly

Her grandfather nodded, "I am aware of the situation between Putlova and the Sons of Anarchy", the old man said addressing Clay.

Clay nodded, "It has to be made clear to Putlova that the Sons did what was best for all concerned. We had to handle the situation that way because we needed Jimmy out of the way, and that was best for everyone concerned."

"I understand your position Mr. Marrow, but 2 million is a lot of money, you made them looked like fools." he said quietly as he took Clay's measure with his eyes.

Marley squeezed her grandfather's hand gently. "Dedyshka, I am with child." she said quietly. Clay looked at her, surprised that she would use this to help them."It would be of best interest to my family that we be allowed to do full business with the RIRA, which means that Putlova will have to be turned our way, or eliminated."

"Granddaughter, are these men making you do this?" he asked her in russian. "Do you need help to get away?"

Marley never broke eye contact with him. "No, they have been good to me. I am under no threat. This is about the future I want to build with the man I love, and the family we want to make strong." she said with conviction, and in english. He stared at her a moment longer, looking for shadows and fear in her eyes. Finding none, he turned back to Clay.

"My granddaughter had been my life breath since the day she was born. If she has accepted you as her family, then I will accept you as well. I will help you, and do this thing that you ask." he said reaching across the table to shake Clay's hand.

Marley laid her head on his shoulder, inhaling his scent. Sandlewood and cigars. Oh how she had missed it.

He turned back to Marley and kissed her forehead, "I taught you well in the art of negotiation my love."

"You and grandmother", she said quietly. He lingered in the booth a little longer, ordering a drink for Clay and himself. Marley filled him in on some of what she had been doing for the last 15 years. He was proud of her for becoming a doctor and rising to the top of her field.

They got up and moved toward the door as a group Marley and Juice walked out first followed by Clay and then Vaslay preceded by his guards. Marley made her way over to her car, slipping the prepaid phone in her pocket that her grandfather had given her with the instruction to call him every week. Juice, Clay and Vaslay and his guards all stood by the door of the pub saying their goodbyes.

Marley didn't see the man approaching her and had little time to react as he pulled out a gun and pointed it to her head. She held up her hands, knowing that the slightest movement would set him off. Juice saw her and immediately ran over to her, but not before the man cocked the hammer back and fired one shot at her head.

* * *

Marley felt herself pulled backward as the shot rang out, she thought she heard several more shots but she couldn't be sure, maybe it was the cracking of her skull she was hearing. She heard yelling, felt her body shake but she couldn't pull herself up, couldn't move her arms or her legs. The pain in her head became a fire in her blood, and she felt herself sinking below the surface of consciousness. Above her she could see Juice's face, see his fear and rage. She tried to reach for him but felt herself sink lower, lower down further into the dark abyss.

Beside Juice she saw the sweet angelic face of her baby, floating above her, smiling down at her. She tried to reach for her but her arms felt like lead, weighed down like the rest of her body by the darkness of time. Marley wanted to cry, to scream, to touch Juice and kiss her baby but she couldn't.

Their voices became a blur above her head, spinning out in time, as she sunk lower into the sweet, dark waters of time.


	4. When The Storm Ends

A/N: I don't own any SOA characters. Talk to Kurt Sutter about ownership and rights and stuff.

Hope you guys enjoy this!

**When the storm ends, will you be there?**

**When the walls fall down, will you stay?**

**Death drags me down with it's sweet promise of oblivion **

**Life is a fear I cannot endear**

**Will you be there?**

**When the storm ends? **

**Will you be there to save me from my fear? **

**My life blood into your veins**

**My heart beating for you **

**Will I see you? **

**As I see you now?**

**When the storm ends, my de****ar ?**

**-T.B. Augustus**

Juice watched Marley out of the corner of his eye, he smiled slightly thinking of how she had sliced through the bullshit of the deal with surgical precision. He watched as she walked toward her car, taking special notice of the cell phone she slipped into her pocket. He saw her pause, saw the tension snap into her posture, he caught the glint of the silver .38 pointed at her temple before he actually saw it, he was in motion, moving toward her at a rapid pace before he fully turned his head.

He was across the sidewalk in the space of a breath, his heart beat stamping out a tempo that his body could not ignore.

Save her, Save her.

He stretched his arm out, forcing his body to become longer, stronger than it had ever been.

He had to pull her back, put himself in front of her. His legs felt like lead, the seconds felt like hours.

The cocking back of the gun sounded like a hammer slamming through his system, pushing him harder. He jumped the last foot, grabbing the back of her paper thin shirt as the blast echoed all around them. They fell to the ground together, and before he could draw another breath he fired his gun twice, spinning the tall, thin black man around.

Juice watched shock replace fear, and then fear replace nothingness in the man's eyes. He watched brain matter and blood dribble down the side of his head with a satisfaction and blood lust so great that his mouth watered. The man was spun around again, struck by the heaviness of the bullets that were now singing over Juice's head.

He turned to Marley and watched as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her body went limp. A pool of dark red blood was forming under her, fed by the hole that was now in the side of her head. He beat back his fear as he grabbed her hand and felt the warmth of life rapidly slipping away.

Juice desperately tried to remember what he should do in a situation like this, and he could hear Tara's voice coming to him through the fog. Telling him what he needed to provide Marley's brain with the life saving sustenance that it needed.

"CLAY!" he screamed. Clay was standing over him with his gun held at his side, watching Marley, his eyes fixated on the hole gaping in her once perfect skull. When he heard Juice's call, he turned dazed eyes on him.

"Grab her legs! Hold them up!" Juice ordered.

Clay moved as if in a dream to do Juice's bidding. Surely this was not real, he thought, surely he would wake up soon. Gemma would stroke his hair and tell him it was okay, it had only been a nightmare.

Juice whipped off his leather cut and t-shirt. He bunched the cotton up and held it tightly to the hole in Marley's head, with his other hand he pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911. When an operator picked up he spoke rapidly into the phone, telling her about Marley's wound, giving the address of the bar. He looked up and saw Marley's grandfather hovering above him, staring at Marley with tears in his eyes. The old man slowly sunk to the pavement, cradling his granddaughter's hand in his.

He spoke to her in russian, Juice thought it may have been a prayer, but he didn't want that, he was not ready to give her over to God.

"Mr. Anslavg!" Juice yelled at the man. The russian turned dazed and frightened eyes on him. "Come hold this compress to her head."

When the man didn't respond Juice yelled, "NOW!"

After the older man moved around Marley's body, Juice went over to Marley's other side, bending over her and pressing his ear to her chest. He could hear a heartbeat there, faint though it was. He held two fingers to the pulse point in her neck, her pulse was there, but it was slow and very faint. Her breathing was shallow, barely enough to raise her chest. Remembering the short lesson in CPR Tara had given the medics from the surrounding club's he began to perform the procedure on her.

He pressed his lips to hers, breathing his life's breath into her, hoping that it was enough, just enough to get her to better, more sophisticated help. The first time he met her flashed through his mind, all of the precious moments he had ever spent with her played like a movie reel through his brain. He felt the tears begin to build, felt the panic begin to set in, but he pushed it back hard. His only intent to save the woman in front of him.

He felt hands pulling him away, and he looked up into Clay's sorrow filled eyes. He looked down and watched as the paramedics took over. Clay said something and he turned to him, but he couldn't hear him. Blood was roaring so loudly in his head that he could barely hear himself think.

He followed the paramedics as they put Marley into the back of the ambulance, he started to step up into the back but one of the medics held up a staying hand. Juice shot him a death filled look and the man gave over and allowed Juice access.

Juice sat to the side as they worked on her, willing her to open her beautiful eyes. To look over at him and smirk, to look at him again at all. One of the men turned to him and spoke, but the roaring had grown and again Juice could not hear him. The man pointed at Juice's bare chest, and Juice looked down, now noticing the fresh blood coursing down his arm. Juice tried to move his head to look back at the man, but he couldn't. Suddenly his head felt like lead and his vision tunneled in on the gaping hole in his upper chest. Juice moved his hand as the ambulance bounced, but it never made contact with the side of Marley gurney. He slipped to the floor as oblivion sunk it's wicked talons into him and drug him under.

* * *

Juice buoyed up to consciousness slowly. He blinked at the bright lights all around him, trying to make the room come into focus. He closed his eyes and tried to reach a hand over to stroke Marley's back, his arm did not respond, but he could feel a slender smooth hand holding his. He tried his fingers, moving his pinky slowly, and then his ring finger. He brought life back into his fingers one by one, until he had a measure of control over his hand.

He heard a quick intake of breath. Heard a familiar voice say his name, and his eyes popped open. He blinked hard, trying his best to adjust his eyes to the light blinding him from above.

"Turn the goddamned light off!" he heard the voice hiss.

Suddenly the light was gone, and he closed his eyes, exhausted from trying to filter and focus all of the light around him. The voice said his name, and he attempt to turn his head, but it felt so heavy and he just wanted to sleep now.

The voice said his name again, more insistently this time, and he slowly opened his eyes again. It was easier to focus now with the dimmer light. He blinked twice, and wondered where Marley was.

"Juice?" the voice said again and he caught the scent of sweet perfume, heard the faint jiggle of jewelry and then saw a face hovering above his. He couldn't bring it into focus, but he thought it might be Marley.

"Marley?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The face did not reply, simply stared at him.

"Marley?" he said again this time his voice stronger. He paused and blinked again, focusing his eyes first on her familiar light brown eyes, and then on her full mouth. The worry lines and crows feet around her mouth and eyes had him drawing back and blinking hard. This was not Marley.

Gemma.

She simply stared at him, her eyes darting all over his face.

"Marley?" he whispered again as slivers of his dream focused into reality. "Where is she?" he attempted to scream as he ordered his body into action. His arm flew up knocking Gemma back, but he was tethered to something beside the bed. He looked at his arm, saw the tubes coming out and felt a bit of his mind slip away. He panicked, forcing his body up, ripping the tubes from his arms. He had to find her, what had they done to her?

He made it to his feet before the darkness consumed him again and he collapsed into a heap.

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!" Gemma exclaimed as she hightailed it out of the door, screaming for a doctor.

* * *

Tara stared at the doctor that was assigned to Juice's case as he spoke to her and the rest of the SAMCRO family.

"The bullet hit him in the upper thoracic area. He suffered some damaged to his aortic artery, but we managed to repair it. Luckily for Mr. Ortiz the bullet missed his heart by 2/3 of an inch. The bullet lodged in his lungs and we successfully removed it." the doctor said quickly to the waiting family.

"Tara!" Gemma yelled summoning the family doctor forward, "What the hell did the doc just say to us?"

Tara stepped forward eyeing the attending surgeon. He was very monotone and cold with her family. She couldn't be sure if he was judging them or if it was simply a professional courtesy. She walked out in front of the clan and went to stand toe to toe with the doctor.

"The bullet hit Juice in his upper chest, near his heart. His aortic artery, one of the most important in the human body, was damaged by the bullet. Had Juice been standing a breath closer to or away from Marley it would have hit and exploded his heart." she said not breaking eye contact with the doctor.

"What is the hospital's policy on restraints?" Tara asked the doctor.

"Ummm er.. Ms..." he began.

"Dr Knowles." Tara supplied coolly.

"Umm Dr. Knowles, we are not going to put the patient in restraints. He is recovering and as you well know it could be detrimental...-"

"This man woke up, knocked over my mother in law, pulled his IV's out and attempted to leave the room. As his primary care physician I am recommending restraints for him until he has regained full consciousness. If your hospital does not provide such a service, stabilize him and transport him to St. Thomas Community in Charming." Tara said with authority.

"But doctor!"

Tara stepped into the man's space, the SAMCRO family at her back. "Are you going against the wishes of the primary care physician, doctor? Surely you realize the ethical and medical implications of that?"

The doctor tried to stare her down, but Tara stared back at him, her green eyes on fire. She had dealt with dickwads like him all through medical school, she knew she could break him with a look.

He looked away from her, and his eyes bounced off of Jax's. "I'll write it up in his chart. I'll have the nurse do it as soon as possible Dr. Knowles."

"You'll have the nurse do it now, and I'll be in the room to oversee it." she said with authority.

The man sighed and wrote in the chart, "Yes, doctor." he said between his teeth and then he turned and left.

Tara watched him leave with her hand on her hip. Snotty son of bitch, she thought. She turned back to her family and locked eyes with Gemma. Gemma nodded slightly and Tara returned it. They both knew where she pulled from to bring out the bitch in her.

Jax walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. "You are absolutely horrifying when you need to be, you know that?"

"And you love it. Admit it."

"Oh yea" he said with a smile and a quick kiss.

"I'm going to go make sure these people are doing their jobs. I'll update everyone in a bit." she said as she made her way out of the waiting room door.

"I'm going to try to get an update on Marlene." Gemma said to the room at large and followed Tara out of the door.

"You're old lady is on a whole other level man." Happy said quietly from the corner.

Jax turned to look at him and began to laugh.

"Tara's been that way since she was born." Opie threw in.

"Bet playin' doctor with her wasn't as fun as it was with the other little girls, eh Jackie boy? Not with her pulling out real knives and the like." Chibbs said

Jax simply raised an eyebrow and kept his mouth shut.

"Ah, Jax has always enjoyed Tara above other girls Chibbs." Bobby said with a smile on his face.

Jax shook his head at Bobby not rising to the bait.

All the guys started laughing, trying to relax and not to think about the fact that they had almost lost a brother and his old lady. Clay walked into the room, his footfalls were heavy, and as Jax watched him he seemed older, more tired than ever before.

Though Jax could put Juice and Marley's injuries on Clay's shoulders he knew that it would cause the kind of tension that it their old rift had caused two years earlier.

"You okay, Clay?" Jax asked him and everyone turned their attention to Clay.

"I have Juice's cut. The cops just gave it back to me." Clay said looking down at the ground. He looked unsure and impotent. Two things that no one in this club had ever seen him be.

"Where is it?" Jax asked quietly as he walked over to his stepfather.

Clay held it up and Jax stopped in his tracks, every man in the room stopped what he was doing to stare at the cut of their brother.

Clay stood and held the cut up. Sunlight from the window hit it and bounced off of the dark leather fabric, except in one spot. Between the REDWOOD and ORIGINAL badges on breast of the cut sunlight filtered through a large hole, coming out through the other side to nothingness.

They all stared at the bullet hole, knowing that it should've killed Juice.

Knowing that it could've been any of them.

Jax walked over and took the cut from Clay. He put a hand on the older man's shoulder. "Burden of this lands on the club Clay, but dont make this personal, dont take it into yourself. It'll eat you up, take away from every decision you make."

Clay looked at Jax, he knew in his head that his stepson would someday take his place, but for the first time in 20 years, he felt it in his heart.

He walked over to a chair and plopped down. "Marlene was phenomenal. Grandpa wasn't budging but she pushed right through his restraints. She called us her family. Stood by SAMCRO, even though we all heard what she thought of the life when she was fighting with Juice just a week ago. Her love and loyalty to Juice got her a bullet to the head." He said reliving the moment he watched her fall to the ground.

"Jesus Christ Clay no one knew it would go down then. No one knew anything." Bobby said in an effort to comfort his boss.

"I know man...I know." Clay rubbed a hand over his face and looked at Jax, " Do we have any information on the shooter?"

"He's not local. Car he drove was a rental. Tatts point to one niner affiliation. I'm probably reaching but I'm gonna say it is the half-brother, or someone he tasked to take her out." Jax said quietly. He was still getting his intel together, but he was sure that he was right.

"I want protection on her, in this hospital 24/7. At least two men." Jax nodded in agreement, he had already spoken with the men about it.

"Alright Clay, we'll work it out." he said.

Clay nodded and crossed his arms over his chest and sat back in his chair.

Tara walked back into the room and all the attention shifted to her. She stopped in the middle of the room and addressed all of them.

"Juice is sedated for the night, so he won't be coming around again until the morning. I've arranged it so that two people can sleep in with him. He's restrained, so whoever is in with him will have to start talking quick when he wakes up, and make him understand what is going on so that he doesn't hurt himself."

She sighed heavily and hooked her thumbs through the loops on her belt. "Marlene's x-rays are back, the bullet went through her skull but only managed to do damage to the cochlea of her inner ear. She'll have some balance issues, some hearing loss, but nothing that can't be modified with physical therapy. The bullet seems to have went straight through her and into Juice. When Juice pushed her to the ground, she banged her head pretty hard. She has a pretty bad concussion and...-" Tara choked up and couldn't finish. She couldn't believe it was Marley she was talking about.

Jax walked over to her and touched her arm, "And what?" he asked needing her to finish. Had she died? Lost the baby?

"And she appears to be comatose." Tara whispered. "Her chances of making a full recovery are slim."

"And the baby?" Bobby asked.

Tara looked at him and felt her heart shatter again. "They did an ultrasound and the baby appears to be okay."

They all looked relieved and Tara felt awful for keeping some of the news from them. She needed to speak with Juice first before she would take any action.

"I'm going to go sit with Marlene. Come get me when Juice wakes up." she said quietly. She kissed Jax and walked out of the room.

* * *

This time Juice was ready when the fog lifted. As soon as his brain cleared he opened his eyes. His room was dark and he could make out the shape of two sleeping bodies on either side of his bed.

He had to get to Marley, he had to touch her with his hands and see her with his eyes.

He tried to lift his arm but was brought up short, he looked down at his hand and saw the dark brown leather that had crisscrossed over his wrist. He pulled at it hard, shaking the bed slightly in his anger.

What was this? he thought as he yanked harder on the restraint, making his bed shake harder. He heard movement from the side of room and turned his head in the direction. The room was dark and all he could make out was a shadowy outline.

The light flicked on and suddenly Jax's face was inches from his.

Juice released a pent up breath, happy to see his brother's face.

"Where's Marley?" Juice whispered.

"Umm bro, let me get the doctor so you can get checked out first." Jax said as he pushed the call button next to Juice's bed

"Where's Marley?" Juice said louder.

"Calm down." Jax replied.

"WHERE'S MARLEY? WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE? TELL ME NOW!" Juice yelled with more force than he thought he had in him. He began to tug at his restraints again, making his bed shake hard.

Jax backhanded him across the face, and held him down by his shoulders. "Calm the fuck down Juice! We don't want them to put you under again. Let the doctor check you, and then we'll tell you what happened."

Juice calmed a little, but still strained at his restraints. His body was vibrating with anger and fear. Was she dead? Is that what they wouldn't tell him? What had Jax looking away from him with guilt in his eyes?

Where was she?

"Go get Tara." Juice heard Jax say to an unknown person across the room. Juice heard the door open and close twice. He felt strong hands touching him and he turned his head to see who it was. Suddenly, the upper half of his bed was being lifted. More of his room came into view, he saw Tig standing in the corner of the room, Jax was standing on the right side of his bed. He ignored his doctor as he checked his vital signs, when he shined a penlight into his eyes and asked him if he remembered what happened Juice gave him a stony look and he took the hint and quickly left the room.

Juice looked over at Jax and sat quietly with his restrained hands bunched into fists.

Jax crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Juice, he had no intention of telling Juice Marley's status, he would let Tara take care of it. The door opened and Jax watched as Juice's face softened slightly as he looked at Tara. He shook his head, amazed that the woman in front of him was his.

Tara walked over to Juice's bedside, she laid a gentle hand on his restrained fist and felt him relax slightly. She looked up into his eyes and saw his pain and fear and felt bitterness and anger rise to her throat. Would anyone tied to this club ever have their happy ending? she wondered harshly, but then she tucked that emotion away. She knew that even the happiest of endings could end with a crash into harsh, cold reality.

"Juice do you remember what happened to you?" she asked him quietly.

He looked confused for a moment, why were they talking about him when Marley was the one that had been hurt? "Guy pulled a gun on Marley, I ran over and shoved her down, but I wasn't quick enough. Last thing I remember is her being lifted into the back of the ambulance."

"You don't remember passing out?" Tara asked with a frown on her face, she threw a quick look at Jax. The report from the paramedics said that Juice had been awake and alert before he passed out.

He shook his head, searching his memory. The whole incident was a little fuzzy. He tried to view it through the haze, but he couldn't see past watching Marley's limp body being lifted into the back of the ambulance.

"You were shot Juice. Upper chest, went straight through. Came damned close to your heart. You helped Marley, called the cops, and even walked to the ambulance and climbed in yourself, and then you passed out."

Juice looked shocked, and for the first time since he opened his eyes, he looked down at his chest. He tried to lift his hand to touch the spot where he could now feel the bandage, but was brought up short by his restraint. He looked at Jax and Jax nodded toward Tara silently telling him that it was her decision to remove the restraints. Juice looked back at Tara and she sighed and pushed the call button for the nurse.

"Where's Marley?" Juice asked Tara quietly. He could see her battling with herself, and he knew she was unsure of what to say and what to leave out.

"The bullet hit Marley first, it went through her jaw and into her skull and shattered part of her bony inner ear and then exited." she began quietly. "She's going to have some hearing loss, and balance issues but those can be modified with surgery and physical therapy."

"But...?" he said urging her to continue.

"When you pulled her back and she hit the ground she took a good shot to the head, and she fell into a coma."

"What? but what does that mean? Is she dead?"

"No, she's still alive. With head injuries some times a person will fall into a coma, and the nerves will re-innervate themselves allowing the person to wake up, sometimes brain activity decreases and the person eventually stops breathing and..." she couldn't go on, she couldn't think of Marley in that way.

Juice nodded, glad that she had not finished the sentence. He couldn't think of Marley in that way either.

Tara cleared her throat and glanced at Jax, seeking mental strength for what she was about to tell Juice. "She's breathing on her own Juice. Which gives us hope that she will wake up, but as of right now it is just a waiting game."

"She's stubborn as hell, she'll wake up." Juice said with certainty. Tara looked into his eyes and saw that he was not just trying to comfort himself with those words. He really believed that Marley was stubborn enough to kick away death and walk away. She shook her head.

Maybe Marley was, Juice certainty gave Tara hope.

"What about the baby?" Juice asked quietly. Tara looked back at him and saw that some of the hope he had for Marley had slipped away at the thought of his child, and that he was steeling himself for her answer.

Tara took a deep breath and glanced at Jax and Tig, she looked back at Juice and he nodded, giving her consent to speak in front of his brothers.

"We did an ultrasound, the baby looks to be okay. Strong heartbeat, and it is has grown since I last saw it."

"I'm hearing another but in your voice doc." Juice said he was relieved to hear that his baby was okay, but he felt anxious because Tara still looked worried.

"In instances such as this...when..when the mother has fallen into a comatose state...the pregnancies are terminated." she whispered as she stared at the floor.

Juice's eyes widened, and then filled with tears. They were going to kill his baby, he couldn't let them do that, he wouldn't stand by and let them murder his child.

"An abortion?" he whispered. Tara nodded her head still not able to look at him."Do I have any say over my child's life?"

Tara looked at him finally, "I have power of attorney over Marley's estate. We both had living wills drawn up five years ago in case...well just in case. I have a heavy input into her medical care."

"I'm not talking about Marley, I'm talking about my child!" Juice raged. It wasn't fair. He wouldn't let it happen. There had to be a way around it.

"The child is not legally considered to be living until it draws it's first breath." she held up a hand as Juice opened his mouth to interrupt her again, "LOOK Marley is my best friend, my sister, I love that baby too, but the child could be a detriment to her recovery."

"And if she woke up in a month? Do you think she would be happy that you killed her only chance of becoming a mother?" Juice snapped at Tara.

"No, she wouldn't be happy, but if that were the case then she could get pregnant again..-"

"GOD! I'm not talking about future children, I'm talking about this child NOW. I won't let you do, I'm the father I have a say."

Tara shook her head, she knew this would be difficult, but she had no idea how hard. "No, as her power of attorney and primary care physician I have final say over what happens."

"Then don't do it! You love her, could you do this to her?" he said hysterically.

"No, but..-"

"THEN DONT DO IT! TARA PLEASE, THIS MY BABY. THEY ARE MY LIFE. I HAVE THEM AND MY CUT THAT'S IT, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS." Juice had never felt so desperate in his life. He felt close to tears, he was not a man that cried easily but he could feel them building.

"It goes against medical and ethical codes to keep her pregnant, Juice. A pregnancy is draining to a healthy body, but a body that is damaged, it will slow her recovery, it could be the catalyst that causes her never to wake up!" Tears were flowing freely down Tara's face. She did not want this to happen but she knew that the other alternative would be a rocky path and could end up with them losing both Marley and the baby.

"Tara, please..." he whispered in a last ditch attempt to make her give over.

Tara looked at Jax and he stared back at her sympathetically. She was at the top of her game medically, she had never needed anyone to make a decision and she never hesitated, but right now she would gladly hand over the reins. She looked at Juice, at the desperation on his face, the determination in his eyes and knew that she could not have asked for a better man than him for Marley. She knew the risks, knew the odds and she knew that Juice was right. If Marley woke up and her baby was gone because of her condition she would never be able to live with herself.

She touched his hand as the nurse walked into the room. She turned to her and ordered her to remove the restraints. Jax and Tig stood alert ready to grab Juice if he attempted to leave the bed. Juice looked over the nurse's head at Tara anxiously, she could see that he was still willing to battle for his child's life.

She walked back over to his bedside and touched his hand again. "You love her. Risked your life to save her and are willing to fight for your child. I couldn't ask for a better man for my sister."

"Tara..." he began not sure where she was going with this.

"Hospitalization, or even nursing home care for a pregnant comatose patient will be astronomically expensive. It will suck up time and energy and mental strength. The end outcome could be Marley and the baby both dying. If that happened after caring for her for months, you could end up slipping into a serious psychotic episode. You would need help, but you have more than enough between Gemma, me and Lyla."

"Money is a non-issue. I've been doing some side work since I got out, I can take care of her and she wouldn't be at a hospital or nursing home. I'd keep her at home, where she could be comfortable."

"She can't be in the clubhouse Juice, she would need to be in a totally sterile environment..-"

"Not the clubhouse. I found a house in Charming and I had planned to buy it in a few weeks anyway, and surprise Marley. She could stay there. I could hire one of those in home nurses."

Tara shook her head, a little shocked at Juice. Most men would've buckled already, but he would lay everything he had at Marley's feet just to see her better. "She would need more than a nurse. She would need a nurse that specializes in critical patients. She would need a high risk OBGYN, and a physical therapist. I'll act as her primary care physician. After the baby is born he or she would need to be monitored in an neonatal intensive care facility. The birth would have to be via c-section so her last few weeks of gestation would need to be done in a hospital."

Juice was nodding at everything Tara said making lists in his head. "Do you know any nurses from the hospital that would work on the side, maybe under the table? I'll have to do some research on an OBGYN and good physical therapist. I could probably cut some deals with some people I know for hospital supplies...-"

Everyone was staring at him, they had never heard him sound so ordered.

"Yea, I'll make some calls. I'll go talk to the medical staff here, tell them to get her stabilized for transportation to St. Thomas." Tara said. She was marveling at Juice and wondering if she was making the worst mistake of both her and Marley's lives.

She turned to walk out of the door, but he caught her hand in a weak grip and brought it to his lips and kissed it. "Thank you Tara."

She did not respond, she did not know what to say. She simply turned and walked out of the door with a dazed expression on her face.

Jax followed her out, and Juice turned to Tig, he was still standing quietly in the corner.

"You sure that's what you want?" Tig asked as soon as the door slammed behind Jax.

"Yes." Juice said with absolute certainty.

* * *

Juice was released from the hospital a week after getting Tara to agree to fight with him to keep the doctors from aborting Marley's pregnancy. He stayed in his hotel room overlooking the golden gate bridge for one day, then he was back at the hospital by Marley's side.

No one argued with him, they simply accepted that this new stubborn Juice would not be argued with when it came to Marley. He sat by her bedside making plans for his future with Marley.

He entertained the though of her never waking up, of him having to raise a child alone while maintaining her health. He found that he could accept that. He just wanted to give her a chance to recover and wake up.

He called the realtor in Charming that he had been working with and gave her an abridged version of events. He asked her to speed up the sell of the house, and she had called him back one hour later saying that it was his. Juice used to his laptop and researched nurses, physical therapists and high risk OBGYN's in the Charming area. He compiled a list of five in each category, and asked Tara to interview them and make the final decision on them.

He created an accounting program to keep track of his ledgers and income while Marley was comatose. He calculated it out 10 years, and decided that he would need to take on a few more webmastering gigs to make it work. He would also have to be extremely careful of his spending and how he spent his time.

He rubbed a hand over his face and looked at Marley's still form on the hospital bed. She lay flat on her back with only an IV for fluid running from her arm, her skin was ashen and mute, all of her shine seemed to have been drained from her. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even.

It weren't for the bandage around her head, she would appear to be asleep. He rubbed his hand over her belly and smiled.

He would make this work. For his family he had to make this work.

On Marley's last morning before she was transferred to St. Thomas Community Hospital her grandfather came by for a visit.

The old man stood quietly in the doorway, simply staring at Marley. Juice was so absorbed in calculations and his computer that he didn't realize the man was there until he heard him quietly shuffle his feet.

Juice jumped to his feet, reaching for his gun before he knew who the intruder was.

"Son, it is only me and I would never hurt her." Anslavg said quietly. Juice realized his pose and sat back in his chair.

"Good morning sir, it is nice to see you again." Juice said in welcome. The old Russian nodded his head slowly at Juice and then advanced into the room. He went to stand on his granddaughter's other side, he looked down at her without touching her. To Juice he appeared to be almost frightened of her.

"She is a beautiful woman. Was a beautiful child. Of mind, body and spirit." he said quietly.

"Yes." Juice agreed

"When she was a child, I hoped for only the best for her. I haven't worried myself over whether she was happy or sad or sick or healthy for all of these years. She is the child of my heart, we parents tend to forget that we raise our children to take care of themselves."

"She is a brave woman."

"Yes, and I am happy that she has found her match. Happy that she has found love."

"I am lucky to have her in my life."

"Indeed."

Juice watched as Anslavg stared down at Marley again. He reached over and ran his fingers lightly over her cheek. Juice went back to his computer, quietly continuing his research.

"You are planning to take care of her in this state?" Anslavg asked quietly. Juice looked up at him and noticed that he was still staring at Marley's face.

"Yes." he replied simply.

"It will be a big stress. Financially, emotionally. It will not be like living with a live vibrant woman. You are young, you could find another. Leave Asha to those that are responsible for her."

"I AM responsible for her." Juice said as he stared at the side of Marley's grandfather's face. "She is all I have in this world. She is my family. A piece of paper giving me legal responsibility over her doesn't make a difference. She is my heart. I could no sooner leave her than I could leave my skin, my blood."

Anslavg finally looked at Juice. He saw the intensity this young man had for his granddaughter, he remembered his granddaughter's bravery in asking for his assistance to give their family a fighting chance.

He would honor that promise.

"As I said I am happy she has found her match. I cared for her grandmother, and her mother as they were dying. It is not and easy thing my son." he said softly to Juice, he knew this man loved his Asha, but he had to be sure.

"That's the difference. She is not dying, she is recovering, she is healing." Juice said with absolute certainty.

"Life is fragile, it can snap at any minute..-"

"No I won't accept that. Marley is young, she is healthy, and she is strong mentally and physically. She will pull through this, I will take care of her as long as I am alive whether she is in this state or fully alert and arguing with me."

"And the child? What of the child when it comes?"

"When my baby is born I will care for her, take care of both of them. Like I said before they are my life." Juice said passionately.

Anslavg nodded. He liked this young man. He was smart, but realistic. He gave Anslavg hope for his granddaughter's survival.

"If this is going to work you will need money...-"

"I don't want your money sir." Juice said with finality.

"It's not my money, it's Asha's money. I will have an accountant set up a trust and have the money paid to you month..-"

"Sir. I cannot take any money from you."

"Son. She is my granddaughter. I cannot care for her, so you will. The least I can do..-"

"I'm not going to use it, it'll be a waste."

"YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME AND NOT INTERRUPT!" Anslavg yelled in his most authoritative voice.

Juice clenched his jaw shut, but still held the same stubborn expression on his face.

"I will have a trust set up for her care and my great grandchild's care. If you will not accept the money then I will pay for her nursing, therapy and doctor's myself. One way or another I will be allowed to help my Asha."

"Yes sir" Juice said through his teeth.

"The man that shot her." Anslavg said in an abrupt change of subject, "It was her brother."

Juice sat up straight in his chair, "How do you know that?"

"After the hit they put out on her that damaged her so horribly, you do not believe that I would let them continue to draw breath?" Anslavg said simply. "I had her father and brothers taken care of 15 years ago. One of the brothers got away, went into hiding and slipped beyond my range."

Juice was take aback by the man's ruthlessness, he had been talking to Anslavg on a personal level and with such intimacy, he had forgotten for a second who he was.

Russian Mafia King.

"My heart sang with relief and joy when I saw him felled under the weight of your bullets." Anslavg looked Juice in the eye now, and though they were a different color from Marley's Juice could recognize some of the same traces of ruthlessness in them."If you will not accept the money for her care and comfort as a gift, then accept it as payment for killing the man that has alluded some of my best assassins for 15 years."

He leaned over Marley's still form, whispered something in her ear, and then kissed her hand. He gave Juice a long hard stare and then walked out of the hospital room.

* * *

Juice bought a mid-sized ranch style house in Charming proper the day after he and Marley came back into town. He immediately turned the keys, a roll of hundreds and the name of a "friend" he could get a discount from on medical supplies over to Tara and Gemma to make it as comfortable as possible and to make all of the necessary arrangements.

The house had three bedrooms and two bathrooms and a large backyard. Gemma and Tara decorated it in comfortable monotones. They set one bedroom up as a master suite for Juice and Marley, and then another room as a hospital room for Marley. The remaining room was painted pale green and a garden mural was painted on the wall. It was to be a nursery but it was a masterpiece in the making.

After Tara had tossed Juice the keys and told him it was ready, and that Marley would be sent home in two days, Juice began to feel nervous.

He would have help, of this he was sure, but for Marley's heavy care it would be him.

Alone.

He didn't want to do something to hurt her, or the baby so he decided to have Tara run him through a quick training on the do's and dont's before Marley came home.

Marley's first day home was full of activity and visitors.

After the private transportation service got her in the house and set up her private nurse came over for the first shift. Tara had hired two nurses for day and evening shifts. Her physical therapist showed up an hour after that to introduce herself and do a health assessment of Marley. The OBGYN showed up right after the physical therapist pulled away from the house and Juice was surprised to find that the doctor was an older silver haired woman with a big apple shaped face and warm blue eyes.

While they worked on Marley Juice sat in the corner of his room working on his computer.

After the doctor declared Marley to be "doing well" and left, he was left alone with the nurse. Gemma, Tara, Jax and a few of the other guys from the club showed up at the front door.

Tara held two giant house plants, Gemma held what looked like six dozen of roses and Jax and the guys held various bags with what Juice knew to be casserole dishes of food.

"You gonna invite us in shithead, or do we have to trample over you?" Jax said with a smile on his face. He knew Juice was shocked that they all would show up in a big group like this but everyone wanted to show their support.

He stepped back and they all filed into the house. Tara set the plants down and took the flowers from Gemma. She walked over to the hall closet and pulled down four vases. She put flowers in each vase and set them around the house, thinking that it made the place look less sterile.

She went to the kitchen and put the individually wrapped dishes of food in the freezer for Juice. She and Gemma had prepared enough to get him through two weeks, they would keep him supplied with ready to eat meals. It was one of the small things that was often overlooked, but when provided, often greatly appreciated.

They settled into easy conversation, but eventually the guys drifted away from the house, slowly drawn back to the women and liquor at the clubhouse. Tara and Gemma lingered after everyone had left, helping to clean up the mess that was left behind.

Gemma went into the nursery to take measurements, Juice was drawn back to his spot next to Marley's bed.

Tara eventually went into Marley's room and did a quick check of her vitals. She spoke quietly to Juice until Gemma was ready to go. Two hours after they left the next nurse showed up. Eventually, Juice drifted off to sleep in his makeshift bed next to Marley's bed.

He fell asleep holding her hand.

* * *

The hours drifted into days and the days into weeks and then months. Juice's new life managed to work itself into a routine. He was with the club four times a week. He participated in runs and protection duty as needed and attended church regularly. He was still the club's intelligence officer, but he spent a lot less time at the garage.

His days were spent by Marley's side, changing her urine bag, massaging and working out her legs.

Bathing her and bushing her hair. He always spoke with her while he worked, and in the hundreds of hours that had passed since he had last heard her voice, he had gotten used to the silence.

Mostly he heard her in his head, her laugh, her smartassed comments. He heard it all.

He read to her, sitting in his well worn spot with a book opened with one hand and his other hand on her belly.

It was four and a half months into her pregnancy when he felt his child respond to his voice. He felt the gentle flutter and for a moment he thought Marley had moved, but then he realized what it was and he had spent the next hour bent over Marley's belly, kissing his child through her skin and telling it how much he loved it.

As Marley's belly grew Juice documented it for her, taking pictures of her stomach from awkward angles (and even a few with Tara laying side by side with Marley with her shirt raised for comparison) and putting them in an online scrapbook for her to view later.

Juice loved Marley's changing body, he admired her and the way the baby seemed to transform her, even in her comatose state. She glowed, her skin was much more vibrant than it had been before. The white bandage that was wrapped around her had been removed a month before and her hair fanned out about her shoulder in brown and golden ringlets.

When she reached her 28th week of pregnancy her OBGYN installed a monitor for the baby in the room. All Juice had to do to hear his baby's heartbeat was walk across the room and turn up the monitor. He left it up when they were alone.

He fell asleep for every night for a month to the steady rhythm of his child's life force.

As Marley approached the end of her 8th month of pregnancy Tara began to make arrangements to have her transported back to the hospital for the delivery. Juice left the plans up to Tara knowing that she would make the best decisions where Marley was concerned.

Over the past six months Juice had grown to appreciate and love Tara more. If he would call anyone in this world his sister it would be her. She seemed to have an endless amount of time, patience and love for Marley and for that she would always hold a special place in Juice's heart.

The night before Marley was to be transported back to the hospital Juice had fallen asleep at her bedside again, holding her hand. Their baby's heartbeat acted as background music and the only light in room was cast from the bedside table lamp.

He jerked awake suddenly, looked down at Marley's hand and watched as she squeezed her fingers into a weak ball in his hand.

* * *

Marley sat at the bottom of eternity trying to figure out how make herself rise to the top to break through the surface of consciousness. She tried to force herself up but could not make herself move. Finally, she rested on the basement of the abyss and prepared to surrender herself over.

Then she felt herself floating but did not want to leave the restful peacefulness of the sweet, dark abyss. She heard his voice, the voice of her beloved. "She's not dying" she heard him say, "She is recovering. She is healing." His voice whispered across her like a cool, sweet wind. She heard the steel behind the words, felt the strength of them and the love of them and she began to fight.

She fought to keep breathing, fought the darkness beneath her. She let her strength build within herself, let it gather like a strong cool wind at her back. She felt herself at the surface, he seemed closer but so far away that she wanted to scream. She could hear the whispers of a heartbeat in the background and sometimes she could hear his full phrases. She tried to feel her body, to sense what was around her but she couldn't all she could do was press herself against the surface of consciousness and listen to his desperate words. Would she be trapped like this forever? In this nothingness?

She pressed against the surface again, and in frustration she used the nails on the hands she could not see, striving to push through the surface to her love.

Finally, she broke through. She could feel her fingers, the very tips. She told her body to flex her hand and it responded slowly, carefully curling into a fist.

She told her eyes to open and was almost taken aback when she saw Juice flash his eyes down to hers.

His beautiful eyes, his beautiful face.

She cried out weakly when he grabbed her face and pressed a kiss to her lips. She tried to get her body to respond but it would not listen. Her muscles spasmed out of control when she tried to lift her arm to hug him to her, so she just let him hold her content for now to be inhaling his scent, feeling his kiss and looking into the eyes she thought she would never see again.

Juice looked at her and wondered if he was truly cracking up now. Had he lost his mind? Was this even a psychotic illusion his mind had concocted out of being stretched thin by stress and worry and fear?

"I love you" he said into her mouth and then he reached for his phone and pressed a button twice.

"Tara! Yes! hahahaha! You have to get over here! Well... either I have completely lost my mind"

"No, no I need you not 911, please come... because I think...well I think Marley just woke up!"


	5. Born of Fire

**A/N: I do not own any of Kurt Sutter's character. I just enjoy expanding on them. **

**Thanks for the support guys. Much appreciated. I think Juice and Marley's story is about to draw to a close. No worries, they won't be gone, just in the background of tadan gan iarrcht. :) **

**Enjoy!**

**One of these days letters are gonna fall from the sky **

**telling us all to go free**

**But until that day I'll find a way to let everybody know that you're coming back, **

**you're coming back for me**

**'Cause even though you left me here I have nothing left to fear**

**These are only walls that hold me here**

**-Civil Twilight**

The world slipped in and out of focus as Marley tried to keep herself afloat. The blackness kept threatening, and for brief moments she would slip away. She tried to speak but her tongue was heavy and her voice weak. She tried to lift her arm but was exhausted from the effort.

She watched Juice pace back and forth beside her bed; calling probably everyone in his phone book with an insane, goofy grin on his face, in exhausted silence until her eye muscles became weak and she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"She's okay Juice, she's just sleeping." Tara said in calm reassurance to Juice who was standing behind her with wide frightened eyes.

"You sure doc?" he asked asked quickly.

"Absolutely." she said as she moved around the bed checking Marley's vitals and reflexes. She was pleased with the response and sent up a quick prayer of thanks that her friend seemed to be pulling through. She turned and smiled at Juice.

"You did it."she said as she rubbed his arm.

"I did what?" he asked in confusion with his eyes glued to Marley's chest, checking for breathing.

"You pulled her through this."

He finally looked at her, some of the fear had faded from his eyes but they were still wide. "It was you Tara, you did more than I could ever dream of."

"No Juice. You took care of her, made sure she had what she needed, and what she would want. You believed in her recovery when no one else did. It was you."

He shook his head and walked over to Marley's side.

"I was scared that I was losing it when her hand moved." he said quietly.

"Why?"

"Because I've wanted her to be okay so bad, I thought I started imagining that she was okay. Thought that my mind was playing tricks on me."

"No, you're perfectly sane. From her response and vitals I can tell that her neurons are firing the way they are supposed to, that her brain stem is active. We'll have to run tests to see if there has been any damage, but for now she's alive and conscious."

He walked over to Tara and hugged her. He put everything that he couldn't put into words in that hug. He held back tears as he felt her arms wrap around his waist. He kissed the top of her head and she won an even bigger part of his heart.

"Boyfriend stealing bitch." Came the hoarse, whispered voice that they both had been longing to hear for seven months.

They turned and found her staring at them, her beautiful eyes sparkling, her mouth twisted into her trade-mark smart-assed grin.

They broke apart from each other and flew to the side of her bed. She lay on her side with a maternity wedge tucked under her back and a folded body pillow tucked under her belly. Tara watched as her hands slowly twitched toward her belly. She covered Marley hand with her own. Their hands were the same size, their fingers were both thin and nimble, a perfect contrast. Dark on light, chocolate on porcelain.

Tara's warm hand closed over her friend's and she moved it toward to her belly and then rested it there. Marley's hand slowly curved over her belly and then stopped her expression went blank and understanding dawned in her eyes.

Marley's eyes widened, and then flew to Juice's. He squatted beside the bed as Tara left the room. He put his hands on either side of Marley's face and kissed her forehead and then rested his against hers.

"I love you" he whispered.

"I love you" she said slowly. Her voice sounded odd to her own ears, and she spoke slowly but she was happy. Happy to be alive, happy that he was alive, and happy that her baby was alive.

He opened his beautiful eyes much too soon and leaned back from her. He didn't speak he just looked at her. He stroked his thumb over cheek.

"I knew you would come back to me." he said quietly.

Her eyes filled with tears and her already strained throat closed over. She couldn't speak, so she tried to communicate with him with her eyes. She felt one hot tear slide down her cheek and he brushed it away.

"Oh baby, you are so strong. You have been so strong. I love you, don't cry. We have everything now. You, me, Mackenzie we're going to be okay."

"Mackenzie?" she whispered.

He smiled at her confused expression. "You remember how I said it was going to be a girl? Well, when they did the last ultrasound they still couldn't see, so I decided that she is just being modest and doesn't want to show off."

She grinned crookedly at her, but did not reply.

"Well, I figured no one could be 100 percent sure, and I like the name Mackenzie. It's gaelic, means born of fire, and it can be used for either a boy or a girl." He was suddenly anxious and worried about her reaction. He had technically named their child without her, he didn't know how she would react to that.

The light in her eyes and her slow smile was almost startling for him to see. He had gotten used to forming her replies in his mind.

"I like it." she said roughly.

He kissed her hand, and then put a hand over hers on her belly. "You hear that Mac? Mama likes it, told you she would."

Marley laughed, and then drew in a sharp breath as they both felt their child respond to Juice's voice.

Marley's eyes were wide and filled with wonder. She tried to move her hand, but was having little success, so Juice moved it around for her. He pushed her hand down for her and let her feel the outline of their child's body. The baby kicked again and pressed her foot hard, and Juice stroked Marley's hand over the imprint of their child in the middle of her belly.

Juice felt a tear slide down his face. Even though he had faith that she would wake up, he had never thought she would have this. He constant ache of missing her was lifting from his chest slowly, and for the first time in seven months he felt light and happy.

He rested his head just below Marley's hand on her belly. She looked down at him and he looked back at her. He felt their daughter kick his cheek and he smiled.

"Mama's back baby girl. She loves you, be nice and don't hurt her from the inside out." The baby kicked him again, but this time it was so hard that Marley gasped out loud. Juice laughed and Marley smiled at him.

"Just like her mother, stubborn and hardheaded." he said as he sat up and got back into his kneeling position by the side of the bed. "Do you want me to turn the monitor up? It was on when you opened your eyes."

She nodded her head and he stood up and walked around the bed. Less than a minute later the sound of their baby's heartbeat filled the room, and Marley immediately burst into tears. Her body shook with the force of her sobs and she squeezed her eyes shut and simply listened to her child.

When she opened them she found Juice sitting on the side of the bed, his hand on her belly and his eyes on her face.

She laughed. "I love her."

Juice nodded in understanding and stroked his child through her skin. "I know."

* * *

Tara was speaking quietly with Marley's night nurse when Jax walked into the kitchen. She looked up at him in surprise, he gave her a weary grin and pointed his thumb over his shoulder.

"Whole cue is here." he said quietly.

Tara frowned and walked out into the large family room. When she entered she found a pacing Gemma, a and stoic Clay. The front door opened and Tig, Happy, Bobby, Opie, Lyla, Kozik and John who carried Tommy in his arms and held the hand of Abel.

"Jesus christ! Did he call everyone?" Tara asked.

"So, what's going on Tara? Is Juice okay...Marlene she isn't..." Gemma asked Tara as her pacing picked up. Tara thought she might burn a whole through the carpet.

"No! Marley is fine. As perfect as a person can be after being shot in the head and laying a coma for 7 months. She's talking, trying to move, reflexes are excellent. Most important thing is that she is aware, can focus on conversation and respond appropriately..-"

"So," Gemma said cutting across Tara's doctor babble," what's you're saying is Juice's incoherent screaming into the phone was because she woke up?"

"Yea." Tara said with a big grin.

"Well thank god." Gemma said and she flopped down into an arm chair.

Tara smiled at her and turned as the door opened again. Marlene's OBGYN and physical therapist walked in. "Join the party. I'll tell Juice everyone is here."

Tara was making her way down the hall when Juice came running out of Marley's room with a panicked expression on his face. Her heart dropped at his expression and she ran the last few feet to him.

"There's a problem! She's in pain! It's the baby!" he screamed at her. Tara pushed past him into Marley's room. She found her on her back in the middle of the bed. Her arms were spasming out of control as she tried to get a grip on her belly.

"Tara! Tara! The baby...ahhhh!" Marley said to Tara when she spotted her. Tara raced to Marley's bedside and flung the bed sheet and blanket off of her. The was a large wet spot under her friend and Tara pulled back her nightgown and checked for blood. Her heart rate slowed and she walked over read the print out from the baby monitor. She could see where Marley's contractions began and she could see that the baby's heart rate stayed level and then bounced back afterward, which indicated that it handled the stress of the contraction well.

"She's in labor." Tara said as she turned to Juice, " Dr. Conway is out in the living room, get her."

Juice turned and ran down the hallway. He came back with the OBGYN in tow. The older doctor walked over to Marley and smiled down at her. "Well, it's nice to finally see your eyes Dr. Samson."

"I'd love to say the same, except I don't know who the hell you are." Marley said as another contraction hit her hard.

The doctor laughed at her. "You are exactly as Mr. Ortiz described. Now I am going to check your cervix, see how much time we have before this little bugger comes out."

Marley moaned in response and Tara laughed at her. "This part of being a mom sucks. No way around it. Sorry Mar."

"Druggggggggggs." Marley ground out.

"We'll get you everything you need soon baby." Juice crooned to her as he stroked her now soaked forehead and hair. "I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I'd take the pain if I could."

"That's a good guy you've got there Dr. Samson." the OBGYN said quietly. She felt Marlene tense as she slid three fingers deep inside of her to check her cervix. "I need you to relax dear, or it's going to be more painful."

Marlene shook her head, but relaxed anyway. The doctor smiled at her and slipped her fingers out. She whipped off her gloves and threw them on the bed. She felt around Marlene's stomach and then went and observed two contractions.

"You're 6 centimeters dilated. Contractions 3 minutes apart. Looks like we're going to have a baby tonight."

"My effacement?" Marley asked quickly.

"50 percent."

"Are the baby's heartbeats rebounding appropriately?"

"Yes, and it's nice to know that your brain is functioning well."

"It's a special treat for me as well doctor." Marley replied sarcastically.

"Dr. Conway, we need to move her. This baby has to be born c-section." Tara offered quickly

"Not necessarily Dr. Knowles. She is awake now, has a measure of control over her muscles. She could push without it being a huge strain on her body. Let the labor progress, if she can't make it we'll do the c-section. We'll just get the OR ready for both, okay?"

Tara hesitated. The doctor made sense. Tara knew this woman was a leader in her field, that she had delivered two of the four comatose births that had been done in the last twenty years in the United States. She looked at Marlene and saw her friend nod slightly.

"Alright, let's get her out of here. Baby will need the neonatal unit standing by."

* * *

Mackenzie Tara Ortiz came screaming into a world on a record cold and windy night a St. Thomas community hospital in Charming, California. She was 9 pounds 10 ounces, 21 inches long and extremely healthy. She had light brown skin and her mother's eyes. Midnight black curly hair covered her head and the tips of her ears.

The first face she saw was that of her Aunt Tara's as she waited for Marley's body to release her into the world. After she was cleaned, weighed and thoroughly checked by her Aunt Tara it was her father's arms that were the first to wrap around her and fold her into peaceful warmth. He walked her over to Marley and laid Mackenzie across her chest. Marley raised her arms with tremendous effort and curled them around her baby girl. She wept openly for the miracle she held in her arms, for the man hovering above her. She looked down at her daughter and vowed to soon have enough muscle control to heft her weight in her arms.

"I want to feed her." Marley said to Juice, "Open my shirt and help her get my nipple."

Juice didn't hesitate to follow Marley's orders, he helped his daughter have her first meal, his hand gently placed on the back of her fragile neck as she snuggled into her mother and suckled her first meal.

"She doing okay?" he asked Marley without taking his eyes off of his daughter.

"I think she's sucking perfectly." she replied.

"You did wonderfully Dr. Samson." Marley's OBGYN said as she disposed of the after birth and repaired Marley's vaginal tears.

Tara walked over to Marley and kissed her on the forehead, she stroked a hand down Mackenzie's back and looked at her friend. "She's perfect Mar."

"I know." Marley replied without looking away from her daughter.

Tara stood back from the family with a smile on her face. It filled her heart that her friend was having her happy ending after coming so close to tragedy so many times. She walked over to Mackenzie's patient chart and made notes in it and then left the room to allow her friends some privacy.

Marley let Mackenzie suckle until she fell asleep, she stroked her back and then asked Juice to hold her over his shoulder and burp her. He followed her direction perfectly and Marley watched him with envy. He saw the look and smiled at her.

"You'll be able to do this soon." he said to her quietly.

"Yea." she replied

"You can already move your arms more than just a few hours ago. A little bit of work and we'll get you there." he told her with confidence. Mackenzie burped softly next to ear and he smiled at Marlene.

"All done. You want her back?" at her nod he gently laid her on Marley's chest and then waved her nurse over.

"I'm going to go talk to our family real quick, stay close to her in case she needs any support." he told the nurse before heading out of the door. He walked down the hall quickly and a pushed open the double doors that lead to the family waiting room. His brothers lined the hallway leading into the waiting room, some were sitting some were standing, when he saw them he raised his hands above his head and yelled, "IT'S A GIRL!"

Every member of his family let up a deafening roar. His brothers slapped him on the back and a few hugged him. Clay walked over to him and handed him a cigar. "Congrats brother." he said with a smile.

Gemma walked over to him and hugged him hard. "Can we go back?" she asked. Juice noticed the three bouquets of flowers, 15 balloons and assorted wrapped presents at the table she had just stood up from.

"Thank You." he said quietly, "They want to move her to recovery, so you guys will have to wait a bit before you come back. She'll be in room N-38, there's a waiting room not far from that."

"So what are you going to name her?" Bobby asked as Juice started inching toward the door, anxious to get back to his family.

He smiled thinking of his daughter, "Mackenzie Tara Ortiz" he replied.

"That's a good name brother. Strong." Bobby said.

"Yea." Juice said as his mind drifted back to his girls. "I'm gonna go back, um, I'll come get you when she is moved." He turned quickly and made his way back down the hall, all but running to get back to Marley and Mackenzie. Some of his brothers understood what he was going through and they laughed at his retreating back, the rest of them stared after him with confusion in their eyes and envy in their hearts.

* * *

Marley and Baby Mac (as her Uncle Jax so lovingly called her) stayed in the hospital for one week, at the end of which they both were pronounced to be in good health. Marley was cautioned to take it easy and come in for her check-ups every three weeks, and to come to her physical therapy appointments regularly.

Although baby Mac was given a clean bill of health, it was required that she check in with the pediatrician once every three weeks to make sure she was making the necessary progress.

Marley listened to the doctor's orders with a half ear, her world was centered on her daughter. She stayed up all day and night watching her. The slight smile that curved her lips when she was asleep, the way her eyes scrunched up before she was about to cry for milk, the cute sound of her baby sneezes, all of these amazing things about her daughter permanently imprinted themselves on her brain.

Mackenzie was three weeks old when she smiled her first real smile. Marley was laying on the floor doing her physical therapy and Mackenzie was laying next to her on her back. Marley looked at her and smiled, and Mackenzie smiled back, her tiny pink lips curving upward slowly and her dimples flashing. Marley screamed out loud and grabbed Mackenzie, lifted her up for the first time and brought her in for a kiss.

Juice came running with his camera and his gun, not sure of which he would need to use. He snapped a picture Marley holding baby Mac in her arms, both of them smiling.

Marley's grandfather came to visit one month after Mackenzie was born. Marley still could not walk on her own, but her arms were strong enough now that she could maneuver around the house in her wheelchair.

To his surprise and awe, she greeted him at the door.

"My love, I never thought to see your beautiful eyes again!" Vaslay exclaimed as his eyes roamed over his granddaughter. He leaned down and hugged her and was surprised at the strength in her arms.

Marley held onto her grandfather, inhaling his scent and enjoying being surrounded by his strength. She pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes.

"Thank you Dedyshka for not giving up on me. I am alive because of you." Her throat closed over as she thought of the consequences for being pregnant and comatose.

Vaslay gave her a shocked look, then he turned and spoke in rapid russian to his guards. They moved past Marley, respectfully averting their eyes from her grabbed his granddaughter's hands and looked down at her knuckles.

"Asha, it was not me who believed. It was your love." he took a deep breath and looked up at her, searching for forgiveness for abandoning all hope in her time of need. "The doctor's thought you had little hope, that there was no hope for your little one. It was Juan who held out for you, and Juan that took care of you this entire time. He provided for you and never used a dime of my money to do it."

"How do you know that?" she asked him quickly. She was confused, she thought Juice had been a caretaker, but not that he took the entire burden of everything on himself.

"I have checked on him. How you have been cared for, what the money was used for. He put all of your money into savings and bonds, and only provided you with top notch care. This house, your doctors and therapist. It was all him and your friend Tara."

Marley was shocked and felt tears rise to her throat as she thought of all Juice had endured for her; for Mackenzie.

"Come in grandfather, I think I hear my little miracle stirring." she said as she pushed her wheelchair backward and allowed him space to enter her home.

She led him down the short hallway to Mackenzie's nursery. She rolled over to her daughter's crib and smiled as she watched her eyes light up with recognition.

"Oh my, Asha, she looks exactly like you." Her grandfather said quietly.

"Oh yea?" she asked as she lifted her daughter from her crib. "There's no way I was as perfect as this. Is there little Miss Mac? Is there baby?"

Vaslay ran a hand over his great granddaughter's head and kissed the top of Marley's. "You were just as perfect my love."

He picked Mackenzie up and cradled her in his arms. She stared up at him with unblinking eyes. Vaslay ran a finger over her soft pink cheek and she grabbed it with her flaying hands.

"Ohhhh!" he said on a laugh, "She is a strong one! Just like your mother, little darling, aren't you?"

Mackenzie smiled at him and won his heart forever.

* * *

Vaslay set up a permanent residence in Dublin, California one week after visiting Marley. He only told her that his new business interests with SAMCRO required his full attention; but Marley knew better. She was sure that he just wanted to be a presence in Mackenzie's life. That did not bother Marley, she was thrilled to reestablish her relationship with her grandfather.

Vaslay and Clay got together in a sit down meeting in Marley's old hospital room. It had been behind shut doors, with only Clay and Vaslay in attendance. They both seemed to leave the room happy though, so Marley had to assume that the relationship between SAMCRO and her grandfather was good.

Marley progressed rapidly in her recovery, moving from her wheel chair to a walker in a matter of a month. She could stand on her own now, but only for short periods of time. She often tested herself when Juice wasn't around by holding onto the walls and walking around the house.

She was at her physical therapy appointment with Tara in attendance when she walked 20 feet across flat surface unaided for the first time in almost a year.

Tara screamed and hopped over to her, excitedly bouncing against Marley's side as she hugged her feet. Marley cried big, heaping sobs into her friend's shoulder. There wasn't a dry eye in the clinic; her therapist cried, the patients cried and the assistants cried.

Marley was shaking when Tara released her. She tried to get a hold of her emotions but couldn't manage it. She walked over to the bench and sat down. Tara sat next to her and held her hand.

Marley was back.

They looked at each other and smiled. They had won the battle, and victory was sweet.

"Bet Juice is going to be super excited about that leg control, huh Mar?" Tara jested.

Marley looked away from her friend and sighed. Juice had not touched her. Only a quick peck on the lips or a forehead kiss her and there. At first it had been sweet, he was willing to wait. Eventually Marley had started to worry, why didn't he even hint at sexual desire? There could only be one reason for that and she couldn't wrap her head around that.

Tara frowned at her friend, "What's wrong Marley?" she asked quietly.

Marley traced circles on the bench and kept her eyes away from Tara. "He probably won't care much about the leg control. He doesn't touch me anymore, who would want a cripple?"

Tara was completely shocked by Marley's response. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Juice loves you Marley."

Marley looked at her, "He's a man, they have needs. All the extra shit that he's done for me, I think he's lost interest in me like that, you know? He's probably fucking someone else now."

Suddenly Marley felt angry, and rose to her feet. Her muscles screamed at her, but she walked across the floor and began collecting her exercise equipment. Tara followed her.

"You need to talk to him Marley. I think you're wrong. That man loves you. You, Mackenzie. You guys are all he has besides the club. I don't think he'd let a piece of pussy come between that."

Marley looked at Tara and smiled. A big part of her thought her friend was just being naive, but a small hopeful part; the part that had looked into Juices eyes for the first time and knew that he already owned a part of her heart, believed her.

"Okay, can you take me to TM? I want to show the whole family my new surprise."

Tara sighed with relief. She was glad that Marley was taking her advice. She helped her gather up her equipment and carried it outside. The physical therapist came out of the the building as they were getting into the car, yelling that they forgot Marley's walker.

Marley smiled at the woman and told her to donate it to another patient. She then turned and hugged the therapist and got in the car.

Tara drove to Teller Marrow quickly. She was excited to see everyone, and for everyone to see Marley. She knew everyone loved Marley and took pride in her rapid physical improvement.

Tara turned the cutlass into the parking lot and pulled into a parking space across from the clubhouse. Marley looked over at her and gave her a huge smile. They got out of the car together. When Marley and Tara began to walk across the lot everyone came to a standstill. Kozik walked out of the garage across from them and let out a shrill whistle and began to clap. Everyone else began to clap as they watched Marley walked across the lot.

She revealed in the attention, running in a small circle with her arms above her head. Tig walked out behind Kozik and quickly walked over to Marley. He picked her up, spun her in a circle and kissed her on the neck.

"I am so happy that you are apart of this family." he said to her as he released her.

Marley smiled at him and stood on her tiptoes. She kissed him on the cheek and then gently slapped the spot where her lips landed. "Thank you Tig." she said quietly.

She turned back to the door of the clubhouse and finished walking across the lot. Tara hung back with Tig to give her some privacy with Juice.

Just as Marley's hand touched the door knob it came flying open, nearly knocking her off her feet.

Juice stood framed in the doorway, a short, bleach blond with sleeves of tattoos and skin tight jeans and an almost non-existent tank top stood next to him. Juice had his hand on the small of her back and was smiling down at her. His eyes were lit happily and the blond was looking up at him with lust in her eyes.

Marley stood there in shock at what she was seeing. Suspicions aside, she had never expected to find Juice in such a compromising position.

When he finally saw her shock and then guilt played over his face. The blond looked her up and down, taking her measure.

"So this is her?" the blond asked. Marley brought her hand back and slapped the blond across the face. The force of the blow knocked her to the ground.

Everyone in the immediate area came to a standstill as they watched the scene unfolding in front of them.

Marley threw an accusatory look at Juice and then turned to flee the scene of her heartbreak.

"Marley!" he yelled as he grabbed her hand and tried to pull her back into the clubhouse.

She brought her fist around and punched the side of his head. He released her and she quickly stepped back from him.

"YOU DONT EVER PUT YOUR FUCKING HANDS ON ME! I'LL FUCKING END YOU, YOU SONUVABITCH!, she screamed as she backed away from him. Every muscle in her body was screaming at her to stop, but she did not listen as she ran across the lot to Tara's car.

She heard Clay's voice booming behind her, heard Tara calling her name, but she did not stop. She jumped into the cutlass, started the engine, and sped away from the man that held her heart in her hands.

* * *

Juice ran behind the black car as Marley sped out of the Teller-Marrow parking lot. As he watched her make a hairpin turned onto the street he felt his throat close, he knew exactly where she was going. He turned and started to run toward his bike but was brought up short when Clay grabbed his shoulder.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He raged in Juice's face, "You're going to blow our relationship with the Russians over a piece of ass?"

Juice shrugged his hand off of his shoulder and stepped back from the older man. He was not in the mood for a lecture.

Jax stepped in between them and turned to Juice. "Go after her bro." he told him in a quiet voice.

He turned back to Clay, "We'll deal with the fallout later, in private."

Juice turned and continued to his bike, his mind on Marley. He had to get to her before she could do anything stupid.

He sped through Charming to the little house he had so hopefully bought for his family. He saw Tara's car parked in the driveway. He let out a sigh of relief that he had guessed right and found her.

He parked his bike directly behind the car and walked into the open front door. He heard movement in the back of the house and walked toward it. He stopped in the doorway of Mackenzie's nursery and watched as Marley frantically stuffed clothes and diapers into a large, black duffel bag. He stood there watching the woman that held his heart in her hand gather her things to walk away from him.

"It's not what you think." he said quietly. She didn't pause, didn't look back at him, she simply kept packing at the same frantic pace.

"Damn it Marlene! It's not what you think!" he said loudly. She paused and turned toward him, the hatred and pain pouring out of her eyes hit him harder than her punch had.

"I can't believe, that for a minute, even a second I believed that you could actually be different." she said in a low dead voice. "You are the only man I have willingly given myself to, the only that I..." her throat closed and she couldn't finish. She turned back to Mackenzie dresser and began packing again.

"I can't deal with cheating. It's my deal breaker." she said as she viciously pulled the clothes from the dresser.

"I didn't sleep with her." Juice said quietly.

Marley laughed at him and pushed past him out of the room.

"I didn't sleep with her Marley." he repeated, but she didn't stop, simply continued down the hall to their room.

Walked up behind her, he didn't touch her, simply stood behind her. She stopped and hung her head. "I'm not stupid. I know what I saw, and even a blow job is considered cheating for me." she said quietly.

"God damn it!" He grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "I did not cheat on you! I have not fucked, slept with or been inside of any part of any woman since the last time were together almost a year ago!" he raged in face.

She tried to pull away from him but he held her firm, when she began to struggle he pinned her arms. They were face to face, nose to nose. "I love you, you Marley. I would die for you." he said quietly.

Marley began to sob, she did not know if she could believe him. Her heart was screaming at her to believe him, but her head was telling her to run. She shook her head as tears poured out of her eyes and onto his face. "I can't live this life. I can't be the in the dark girlfriend. I can't, I can't. I love you too much. I can't do it. Please just let me go, let me go Juice, please?" she whispered

"No, I'm never letting you go." he said roughly "Cry if you need to, get it all out, but know that I will never let you go."

"Please...-"she cried out.

"No Marley. I am going to tell you why I was there with Susan, and you are going to listen."

She continued to cry, she knew she couldn't fight him and win, she was exhausted from the running and the frantic packing.

"First she is an artist. She is taking over for Ralph as the club tattoo artist. Second she designs jewelry. I put her under commission 6 months ago to design your engagement ring." he said while looking into her eyes.

She sniffled as he continued to talk, "I got a new tat today, and she dropped off your ring. That's it, end of story."

"But you were touching her."

"I was ushering her out of the door."

"You were smiling at her."

"Because your ring turned out to be beautiful and totally unique, just like I wanted for you."

"She was wearing come fuck me heels and smiling at you like she knew what your cum tasted like." she said harshly.

He laughed, "Come fuck me heels? Are those real?"

She began to struggle against him, his story sounded plausible, and the tiny voice of hope in her heart grew to a roar in her head.

"Yes they are real! And that slut was wearing them." she hissed at him.

He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed, he had seen the light of forgiveness in her eyes, but obviously she needed a bit more convincing.

He dropped her onto the bed without a word and fell on top of her.

He began to kiss down her body as she struggled against him.

"We can't ..mmmm... we, we can't fix our..mmm oh yes." she said.

Juice chuckled against her panties and then ripped them off with his teeth. She stroked her fingers down his short mohawk and arched her back; all verbal ability completely lost on her at the moment.

Juice used his tongue, teeth and fingers to set a fire to her body. He climbed on top of her and used his body to bring her's back to life. They both fell over the cliff, clinging to one another in the aftermath of their love.

* * *

Marley lay on her side curled around Juice. She was tired and could feel sleep trying to take over her mind and body. She slowly stroked a hand down his chest, her fingers tracing around large white bandage on his chest, and looked up into his eyes.

"Where's my ring?" she said abruptly.

Juice laughed at her, and she punched him weakly in the side. He pretended to be hurt but rolled out of bed and walked over to his discarded cut. He pulled out a red leather box and walked over to her, and in all his naked glory knelled down next to bed and grabbed her hand.

"You are the single best thing to ever happen to me." he began while looking directly into her eyes, "I will never let you go. I will always be with you. I love you. Marry me."

Marley stared back at him and her eyes filled with tears. He was flawed, lacked manners, sometimes even lacked common sense; but he was perfect in one way. The most important way. He was perfect for her.

"Yes." she said.

Juice smiled and let out a pent up breath. He unlatched the box, pulled back the split top and revealed a large emerald shaped white diamond ring surrounded by round black diamonds and set in white gold. He pulled it out of the box and slipped it on to her finger.

Marley stared at the ring in awe. It was perfect, absolutely perfect. She looked back at Juice and smiled.

"I love you." she said and leaned over and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into bed with her.

This time he made slow, sweet love to her. He drew out every kiss, every touch. He did not rush her climax, but let her savor the building of it until she tumbled into herself sweetly, he followed her shortly after, moaning her name while he looked into her eyes and pumped his life seed into her body.

Marley fell asleep with his arms wrapped around her, his heart thumping against her ear.

When she woke up he was playing with her hair and staring off into space.

He looked down at her with tears in her eyes, she stroked his cheeks as one tear tumbled down his cheek.

"What's wrong baby?" she asked him worriedly. She was afraid something had happened to one of their family members.

He started sobbing and she sat up and held him to her. He clung to her, his body shaking with the force of his despair.

"Baby, please, talk to me. Talk to me." she begged him.

"You." Juice strangled out.

Marley frowned, did this mean everyone was okay? "What about me baby?" she asked him quickly.

"There was blood everywhere, you were laying on the ground, and gone from me." he began and Marley realized he was reliving her shooting, "I was shot, but I couldn't even feel it. I thought you were dead, and then I woke up and they told me you were as good as dead and that they were going to kill Mackenzie. What else was I supposed to do?" he asked as he squeezed his eyes shut. "I had to fight for you. You deserved it. I was so stressed out, so worried about you that I didn't even think about it all. I just did it. I've never felt so attached to someone outside of the mc since my sister." Marlene nodded and remembered when he had shared stories of his kid sister, and growing up and taking care of her himself.

He pulled away from her and grabbed her face. "There has never, never been a woman that holds my heart the way you do. You are in my veins. You and Mac are everything to me."

Marley wrapped her arms around him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "I just couldn't figure out why you wouldn't touch me. Mackenzie is 4 months old, I've been cleared by the doctor to resume normal activities. I just thought you didn't want to touch some cripple."

Juice looked up at her, " Is that why you pushed yourself so hard to walk?" he asked.

She looked away from him, "Apart of the reason."

He grabbed her face and turned her eyes back to his. "I was afraid to hurt you. I'd just spent seven months listening as doctor after doctor told me of the low odds against you recovering. I watched as your muscles slowly deteriorated, and your body became weaker with every passing day. I thought a stiff wind would slice you in half, so I waited until I thought you would be ready."

Marley kissed him again; hardly believing that her knight in shining amour turned out to be a biker in shining chrome.

* * *

Marley walked through the back door of Tara's house and into the kitchen without knocking. She saw Tara sitting at the island bar with a cup of coffee in her hand and faraway worried look on her face. She dropped her bag on the table and walked over to her friend.

"Came to pick up Mackenzie." she said softly. Tara jumped when she touched her back and then looked around the room quickly."What is wrong with you?"

"I just...I'm just tired, need a nap." Tara said quickly. "I guess you got Juice to "touch you"."

"Oh yea he touched me alright. I like the bed, but nothing will ever compare to the bike." Marley said letting Tara change the subject for now.

"Okay, I give up; what does a bed have to do with a bike?"

"The first time we hooked up. We did it on the bike."

"You have got to be shitting me? Jax and I tried that once and I nearly broke my leg when we laid the bike over"

"What can I say? Sometimes it just doesn't pay to be uncoordinated and white." Marley said at an attempt to lighten Tara's mood. She looked back down at her coffee and Marley's internal worry alarm went through the roof.

"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to beat it out of ya?" she asked with a hand on her hip.

"I told you Marley, I'm just tired."

"Bullshit, what's wrong?"

Tara looked down at her cup again and then back up at Marley. Tara knew that if there was a choice, Marley would always be on her side and if there was ever a person she could confide in, it was the woman standing in front of her.

"I'm pregnant Mar." Tara said as tears began to fill her eyes.

Marley's heart lifted and she smiled and hugged her friend, Tara did not hug her back. Marley pulled back from her and frowned. "Well what's wrong with that? You're successful, Jax is successful and about to take over Teller-Marrow. Why would a new mini-you be an issue?"

Tara jumped up from her perch and began pacing back and forth across the kitchen floor.

"It's not the baby. The baby is wonderful, fabulous, incredible. I'm starting to feel like a bit of a baby machine; and are seriously considering birth control, but that is neither here nor there." Tara said quickly as she twisted her hands together and paced faster.

Marley tapped the toe of her shoe against the stone tile floor. "Well? What is it?" she asked in frustration.

Tara stopped pacing and faced her friend. She held up a hand and ran from the room, leaving Marlene alone staring at the wall.

"Must be morning sickness." she mumbled while staring out of the window. Tara walked back into the room holding a stack of papers. She shoved them into Marley's hands and gestured to her to read them.

Marley quickly scanned through the first photocopied letter and then looked up at Tara with big round eyes.

"Are these from Big John Teller, as in dead-father- Teller?" she asked quickly and at Tara's nod Marley felt her heart beat speed up. "How did you get these Tara?"

"I found them in Jax's overnight bag the day he got locked up."

Tara gave Marley a frantic look, "I dont know what I'm going to do. Gemma found the originals and even though we burned them together I think she still thinks I'll tell Jax. Big John was like a father to me, but I would never rip our family apart with these letters."

"Do you think Gemma is planning to hurt you?" Marley asked.

"Yes. She shares less with me, has been distant. I don't know how to say it but she's just different now."

"We can't let that bitch hurt you, and we can't let this destroy the club. We have to figure out a way to make this work to our advantage." Marley said as she paced back and forth in the kitchen.

Tara grabbed Marley's arm with a scared look on her face, " You can't get involved. I won't have you involved! I just needed someone to unload on."

Marley looked Tara in the eye and for the first time in 13 years Tara saw the devil staring back at her through Marley's eyes.

"Tara, this is who I was. I've been here before, the ground is familiar, and I'm good at my game. Let me work."

"You can't take on Gemma. She's the queen-bee, she has the whole club at her disposal."

"Tara, if Jax is the heir apparent, then you are the queen apparent; that makes me your hand maiden-at-arms, so to speak. You are my sister, the reason I'm alive. I would never let anyone hurt you."

"Marley, I...-"

"Shhhhh...it's okay baby." Marley said with a sly, evil smile and a wink. "I've got a plan."


End file.
